Hundreds come together to remember an eminent legislator and a minnesota husband killed in their house

ST. Paul, Minnesota – Hundreds of people, a few candles tightening or carrying flowers to lie down in front of a memorial, gathered in front of the Capitol of Minnesota on Wednesday evening for a vigil to remember an eminent state legislator and her husband who who were killed at their home.

As a brass quintet of the Minnesota orchestra played, Governor Tim Walz wiped tears and comforted the participants at the meeting of the former room lecturer, Melissa Hortman, and her husband, Mark, who was killed early Saturday in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis.

Colin Hortman, the son of the Hortmans, kissed Walz and put a photo of his parents on the memorial.

The memorial, which arose outside the Capitol after the murders, presents flowers, American flags, photos and sticky notes with messages such as “thank you for always believed in me and in minnesota” and “We have this from here. Thank you for everything.”

Wednesday’s vigil also included a Circle of Amerindian drum, a string quartet and the crowd singing “Amazing Grace”.

Around the rally, there was a strong police presence, with police preventing the streets leading to the Capitol and the soldiers of the state of the guard.

The event did not include a speech program and the participants were invited not to bring signs.

The man accused of the Federal and State Court of having killed the Hortmans, Vance Boelter, is also accused of having shot another Democratic legislator, Senator John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette, at their home a few kilometers in Champlin. They survived and recover. Federal prosecutors refused to speculate on a reason.

Boelter lawyers refused to comment on the charges.

Hortman had been the Democratic leader of the best room since 2017 and six years as a speaker, from 2019. Under a power sharing agreement after the 2024 elections left the room equally, his title became the emeritus president and the republican representative Lisa Demuth became president.

Walz described Hortman as his closest political ally and “the most consecutive president in state history”.

The Hortmans were alumni of the University of Minnesota, who organized a MIDI commemorative rally on the Minneapolis campus.

Rebecca Cunningham, the president of the university, maintained herself during the sorrow and indignation event that people are struggling with questions about how things have happened to this point.

“I do not have the answers to these questions, but I know that finding answers starts with community assembly as we are today,” she said.

Funeral information for Hortmans has not been announced.