Children of Melissa and Mark Hortman issue message following fatal shooting. Read the full statement.
Sophie and Colin Hortman are responding to the fatal shooting of their parents, Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and Mark Hortman.
In a written statement released Monday night, Sophie and Colin Hortman said they're "devastated and heartbroken."
"They were the bright lights at the center of our lives, and we can't believe they are gone," the statement said. "Their love for us was boundless. We miss them so much."
Read the full statement:
"We are devastated and heartbroken at the loss of our parents, Melissa and Mark. They were the bright lights at the center of our lives, and we can't believe they are gone. Their love for us was boundless. We miss them so much.
"We want everyone to know that we are both safe and with loved ones. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support we have received, and we appreciate your respect for our family's privacy as we grieve.
"Our family would like to thank law enforcement for their swift action that saved others and for the coordination across communities that led to the arrest of the man who murdered our parents. We especially would like to thank the officers who were first on the scene to our parents' home and their heroic attempts to rescue our mom and dad.
"Our parents touched so many lives, and they leave behind an incredible legacy of dedication to their community that will live on in us, their friends, their colleagues and co-workers, and every single person who knew and loved them.
"If you would like to honor the memory of Mark and Melissa, please consider the following:
Plant a tree.
Visit a local park and make use of their amenities, especially a bike trail.
Pet a dog. A golden retriever is ideal, but any will do.
Tell your loved ones a cheesy dad joke and laugh about it.
Bake something — bread for Mark or a cake for Melissa, and share it with someone.
Try a new hobby and enjoy learning something.
Stand up for what you believe in, especially if that thing is justice and peace.
"Hope and resilience are the enemy of fear. Our parents lived their lives with immense dedication to their fellow humans. This tragedy must become a moment for us to come together. Hold your loved ones a little closer. Love your neighbors. Treat each other with kindness and respect. The best way to honor our parents' memory is to do something, whether big or small, to make our community just a little better for someone else."
Melissa and Mark Hortman were shot and killed early Saturday in their Brooklyn Park home, and state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were shot and injured at their house in Champlin in what Gov. Tim Walz has called politically motivated shootings.
A manhunt for the suspect, 57-year-old Vance Boelter, lasted for over 36 hours. He was taken into custody on Sunday night in Sibley County. He faces six federal charges and four state charges.
Yvette Hoffman said her husband was shot nine times and she was shot eight times. Both underwent surgery following the incident.
"Our family is so humbled by the love and outpouring from everyone," Yvette Hoffman said in a text message to U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar on Sunday.
