Minnesota shooter had 'manifesto' naming lawmakers, fled in cop-style SUV

A manifesto identifying numerous lawmakers and public officials as potential targets was found in the vehicle of the suspect who shot and killed Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, and wounded State Senator John Hoffman, Reuters quoted Brooklyn Park, Minnesota Police Chief as saying.

According to local media reports, the shootings occurred in the early hours of Saturday at the lawmakers' homes in the Minneapolis suburbs of Brooklyn Park and Champlin.

Governor Tim Walz called the shootings a "politically motivated assassination" and confirmed that Representative Hortman and her husband were killed, while Senator Hoffman was wounded.

"An unspeakable tragedy has unfolded in Minnesota - my good friend and colleague, Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, were shot and killed early this morning in what appears to be a politically motivated assassination," he told reporters.

Walz said that in a second attack, Senator John Hoffman and his wife, of Champlin, were shot multiple times, underwent surgery and that he was "cautiously optimistic" that they would survive "this assassination attempt".

US Senator Amy Klobuchar described the attack as a "stunning act of violence", saying in a post on X that her prayers were with the Hortman and Hoffman families. "Both legislators are close friends and devoted to their families and public service," she wrote.

Authorities urged residents of Brooklyn Park and Champlin to stay indoors as law enforcement continued searching for the suspect, who escaped after an exchange of gunfire with police. Investigators are still working to determine the motive and have not disclosed the suspect's identity.

Meanwhile, US Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed that the FBI were helping with the investigation.