Slain Minnesota Rep. Hortman, husband and dog to lie in state Friday; funeral set for Saturday
Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, her husband Mark and their dog, Gilbert, will lie in state on Friday, nearly two weeks after they were killed by a gunman inside their Brooklyn Park home, the office of Gov. Tim Walz announced on Tuesday morning.
Vance Boelter, 57, is accused of killing the Hortmans and their dog in the early morning hours of June 14. Boelter was arrested near his Sibley County home some 36 hours after the shootings. Officials say it was the largest manhunt in Minnesota history.
"Hortman will be the first woman and one of fewer than 20 Minnesotans to lie in state in the Capitol," the governor's office said.
The public will be able to pay their respects to the Hortmans on Friday from noon to 5 p.m., officials say, with a private funeral set on Saturday morning. Full details on the funeral have not been released.
Boelter faces federal and state murder charges in the Hortmans' death. He is also accused of shooting state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, inside their Champlin home about 90 minutes before arriving at the Hortmans' residence. Yvette Hoffman is now recovering at home, while John Hoffman is still hospitalized in serious but stable condition.
Melissa Hortman, a DFL Party member, served in the Minnesota House for 11 terms, where she represented District 34B. She also spent several years in the role of House Speaker.
The Hortmans' two children, Colin and Sophie Hortman, released a statement two days after the shootings that honored their parents for being "the bright lights at the center of our lives." Their children also said citizens can honor their parents by "standing up for what you believe in, especially if that thing is justice and peace."
Walz called Melissa Hortman a friend who was a "formidable public servant."
"Melissa Hortman woke up every day determined to make our state a better place. She served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, and tirelessness," Walz said.
Her death came just days after lawmakers passed a state budget during a one-day special session, closing out several contentious months where the House was evenly split 67-67 between Democrats and Republicans, and the DFL had a one-seat majority in the Senate.
During the special session, Melissa Hortman was the lone Democrat to vote in favor of the GOP-led effort to bar undocumented immigrant adults from receiving state health care benefits, which she said she personally opposed. The representative was emotional in a press conference following the special session, saying she "stepped up" and "got the job done for the people of Minnesota."
Besides their public service, the Hortmans are also fondly remembered for their volunteer work in training service dogs.
Minnesota's members of Congress pay tribute to Hortmans
All eight members of Minnesota's congressional delegation took part in a moment of silence on Monday on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C. for a bipartisan tribute to the Hortmans.
"It is through tragedies like this that we are reminded that we are stronger together," said House Majority Whip Tom Emmer. R-Delano. "There's more than unites us than divides us."
