A Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband were shot and killed in their home early on Saturday morning in what Governor Tim Walz called a “act of targeted political violence”.
Walz said House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, a Democrat, and her husband were killed.
State Senator John Hoffman, also a Democrat, and his wife were targeted in their home as well in a separate shooting. They were shot multiple times and are out of surgery, Walz said at a news conference. He said he was “cautiously optimistic” they will survive.
Walz said the targeted shootings occurred in Brooklyn Park and Champlin, neighbouring cities to Minneapolis. A manhunt is underway for a suspect.
Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Ruley said a suspect was impersonating a police officer.
He added that a suspect was using a police “badge and uniform” to manipulate his way into the lawmakers’ homes, and was even driving a car that looks like a “police vehicle”, equipped with emergency lights.
Minnesota Superintendent Drew Evans said officers received a call at 02:00 local time regarding the incident involving Hoffman and his wife.
Evans said another call was placed to police at 03:35, when officers were proactively checking on Hortman.
The police exchanged gunfire with the suspect at Hortman’s home, but he managed to escape.
Chief Ruley said they are engaged in an “extensive manhunt” alongside the FBI, SWAT and hundred of police officers.
Authorities are warning people in the area not to answer their door for a police officer unless there are two officers together.
Brooklyn Park Police Department has issued a shelter-in-place order for a three-mile (4.8 km) radius of Edinburgh Golf Course.
Zach Lindstrom, the mayor of nearby Mounds View, said elected officials had received a “safety alert”.
Walz said he had activated a State Emergency Operations Center – used for managing disasters or emergencies.
