Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman killed, State Sen. John Hoffman wounded in 'targeted political violence'

A masked gunman disguised as a police officer shot and killed a Minnesota state representative and her husband and wounded a state senator and his wife early Saturday in two back-to-back shootings that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called an "act of targeted political violence."

Hours after the shootings, the suspected gunman 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter remained on the run.

The lawmaker who was killed was Democratic State Rep. Melissa Hortman. She and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed at their home in what appears to be a "politically-motivated assassination," Walz said at a news conference on Saturday.

Hortman, formerly the Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, "was a formidable public servant," the governor said of his friend. "She is irreplaceable."

Shortly before that shooting, State Sen. John Hoffman, a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, were both shot multiple times at their homes. They were undergoing surgery Saturday morning, the governor said.

"We're cautiously optimistic they will survive this assassination attempt," Walz said.

Authorities said they're still investigating if Boelter knew the victims in Saturday's shootings, although it was known he served on a state workforce development board alongside Hoffman.

Boelter helped lead the private security firm Praetorian Guard Security Services, which is based in the Twin Cities area, according to the company website. A husband and father, according to an online biography, he has touted an extensive background in security and military training, according to an ABC News review of his online presence and professional history.

Boelter, who was wearing a realistic latex mask at the time of the shootings, according to police, also had a target list with the names of dozens of Minnesota Democrats, according to law enforcement sources.

How the shootings unfolded

The two shooting locations are a few miles away from each other in Champlin and Brooklyn Park, just north of Minneapolis.

Hoffman and his wife were shot at their house in Champlin around 2 a.m., Superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Drew Evans said. Authorities believe that when the shooter opened fire, he was wearing a latex mask that looked realistic, sources said.

After Hoffman was shot, officers were heading to pro-actively check on Hortman when they encountered the suspect at Hortman's Brooklyn Park home around 3:35 a.m., Evans said.

The officers found a person who was dressed as a police officer -- wearing a vest and a badge, and with a Taser and other equipment -- at the door, coming out of Hortman's house, police said.

The suspect fired at the officers; gunfire was exchanged and the suspect was able to escape and flee on foot, authorities said.

The suspect's vehicle -- which looked like a police vehicle, including police lights -- was in Hortman's driveway, authorities said.

A list of other possible targets was retrieved from the suspect's vehicle, authorities said. The list named Hortman and Hoffman and included dozens of other Democrats from Minnesota, including Gov. Walz, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith and state Attorney General Keith Ellison, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the matter.

The shooter’s list of potential targets also included the names of abortion providers and pro-choice activists, several sources told ABC News. Many of the Democratic lawmakers on the list have been outspoken about pro-choice policy positions, two sources said.

Security resources have been dispatched to protect those people named on the list, authorities said.

President Donald Trump has been briefed on the shooting and said "such horrific violence will not be tolerated," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt posted on social media.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said, "This horrific violence will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

House Speaker Mike Johnson also condemned the violence and said "every leader must unequivocally condemn it."

A source close to Walz told ABC News that the governor and Vice President JD Vance spoke Saturday.

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, formerly the Minnesota Democratic party chair, said he's friends with both Hoffman and Hortman.

"Speaker Hortman was a leader in every sense of the word -- from ushering in free lunch for our kids, to protecting women's rights and reproductive care, to standing up for Minnesota families," Martin said in a statement. "Melissa was also a close friend whom I've known since the very start of her political career. She was someone I personally relied on for advice, counsel, and friendship and I am beyond words. As I said many times when I introduced her at events, she is the very best Speaker of the House that Minnesota has ever had."

"This senseless violence must end. These heinous murders are a reflection of the extremism and political violence that have been fomented in our country," Martin said. "Today, we recommit ourselves to fight harder for the values that Melissa and Mark embodied -- building a kinder, more just, and loving world. If this murderer thinks we will be silenced, he's wrong."

Melissa Hortman's sister-in-law told ABC News, "We loved them dearly," adding, "I hope they catch him and they get justice for what happened. It's devastating."

With the manhunt ongoing, police urged community members to be cautious. Police initially warned residents to call 911 if an officer came to their door to confirm the officer was supposed to be there.

"Police are asking that no one open their door to a lone police officer," the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office said. "Licensed officers are working in pairs."

Residents of Brooklyn Park were initially ordered to shelter in place but that was later lifted. Local leaders said, even though the suspect remains at large, "there is reason to believe he is no longer in the area."

ABC News' Luke Barr, Mike Levine and Katherine Faulders contributed to this report.