Shock and mourning

North Dakotans today share the shock which gripped the region and the nation this morning, at the tragic news of the murder of former Minnesota Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and the attempted murder of Minnesota Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.

Elected officials are public servants who give of their time and talents to serve and represent those who elect them, often at great personal sacrifice — particularly in today’s political climate. While politics and positions on issues differ, these facts remain and no public official should need to fear for their life because they serve. That’s why we should all decry the violence which took place this morning and is becoming far too common in our nation, today.

Following is a statement released this morning by former North Dakota Speaker of the House and former National Chairman of the Council of State Governments, Kim Koppelman, also a policy fellow at American Experiment North Dakota:

Update: 6-16-25–Law enforcement officials reported Sunday evening that they have captured the suspect in the shootings. He is in custody. They credited excellent police work, cooperation among law enforcement at local, state, and federal levels, and tips from the public.