Fact Check: State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot dead on Saturday by the same gunman who shot Democratic State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, who survived the attack.

Fact Check: "State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot dead on Saturday by the same gunman who shot Democratic State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, who survived the attack."

What We Know

On Saturday, a tragic shooting incident occurred in Minnesota, resulting in the deaths of State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman. They were shot in their home in Brooklyn Park. Meanwhile, State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were also attacked at their residence in Champlin but survived, sustaining multiple gunshot wounds. Reports indicate that John Hoffman was shot nine times and Yvette eight times, but both are expected to recover (source-1, source-2). The gunman, identified as Vance Luther Boelter, allegedly impersonated a police officer during the attacks and has since been arrested (source-3).

Analysis

The claim that "State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot dead by the same gunman who shot Democratic State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife" is partially accurate but misleading. While it is true that both incidents were part of the same attack and involved the same assailant, the phrasing suggests a direct connection between the two events that may not fully capture the context.

1. Fatalities: Melissa Hortman and her husband were indeed killed in the attack, while John Hoffman and his wife survived despite being seriously injured. This distinction is crucial as it emphasizes the severity of the violence directed at the Hortmans compared to the Hoffmans (source-1, source-5).

2. Nature of the Attack: The attack has been described as politically motivated, with authorities discovering a manifesto that included the names of other politicians, indicating a broader threat to elected officials (source-2, source-4). This context is essential to understanding the implications of the violence.

3. Source Reliability: The sources used for this analysis are credible news outlets, including the Minnesota House of Representatives, BBC, and The New York Times, which have reported on the incident with detailed accounts and official statements from law enforcement and political figures (source-1, source-2, source-3). These sources provide a reliable foundation for understanding the events as they unfolded.

Conclusion

The claim is False. While it accurately states that both the Hortmans and the Hoffmans were victims of the same gunman, it misrepresents the outcome of the attacks. Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed, whereas John Hoffman and his wife survived. The phrasing of the claim can lead to misconceptions about the severity and nature of the attacks, particularly regarding the fatality of the Hortmans compared to the Hoffmans.

Sources

1. Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, husband killed in attack
2. Minnesota assassination survivor and husband shot 17 times
3. Suspect in Minnesota Attacks Is Arrested, Ending Manhunt
4. Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman Killed, FBI Hunt Suspect
5. Minnesota Rep. Hortman and husband killed, Sen. Hoffman and wife ...