Family dogs were also killed in attack that killed Minn. Legislature, spouse

Then Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman And her husband Mark HortmanFamily Dogs were also shot and killed during Saturday’s murder In the family’s home in Stillwater, Minn., People have learned.

Emily Hill, a family friend and wife of Minnesota state representative Josiah Hill, who worked with Hortman, told People that the tragedy has been “just horrible” for the family and their local community. The news that Hortman’s Golden Retriever Gilbert also needed to be killed after being shot during the attack only makes things worse, she said during an interview by phone this weekend.

“It’s just horrible,” Hill said. “(Melissa) loved dogs and voluntarily with dog rescue.”

Helping Paws, a local non -profit in Eden Prairie, Minn., Shared a photo On social media showing the state representative Hortman who sits next to Gilbert on a medical office bench while explaining the legislator’s role with the organization.

“Melissa served her society in more ways than one,” wrote non -profit organizations on social media. “She was a helping Paw’s Foster Home coach, a neighbor and a friend. The Hortman family bred and educated Minnie, who is now a work service dog who collaborated with a veteran. They also helped to raise and educate Gilbert, a service dog in education who (eventually had a career change) and became a family.

Hill shared that colleagues told her husband Josiah that Gilbert needed to be closed down after being injured in shooting early on Saturday.

The alleged shooter, Vance Boelter, was arrested and accused of two bills of murder and two bills of attempted murder on Sunday after a state manhunt, according to Associated Press. Police claim that in addition to killing state representative Hortman and her husband Mark, 57-year-old Boelter also shot Senator John Hoffman-A Democrat as Hortman-Together with his wife Yvette Hoffman at home about nine miles away. Hoffmans survived.

Boelter mimics a law enforcement officer under firearms and went to the legislature’s home in an act characterized as political violence by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, people reported earlier.

“A man’s unthinkable acts have changed the state of Minnesota,” Walz said at the press conference late Sunday after Boelter was taken into custody. “This may not be the norm. This may not be as we handle our political differences.”

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Hill told People that Hortman “did not have an ego” and “understood the bigger image” as a leader. And as a person outside the office, Hill said she was “smart and dedicated” as a wife and mother of two children, Sophia and Colin.

“She was just very real,” Hill said, leaving, “it’s just so tragic that her life was short because she is in the main leadership.”