The gunman who fatally shot Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband over the weekend also took the life of their family dog, adding another layer of heartbreak to an already devastating tragedy.
Hortman, 55, a former Democratic Speaker of the Minnesota House, and her husband Mark, 58, were killed at their home in Brooklyn Park in the early hours of Saturday.
The suspected gunman, identified as Vance Luther Boelter, also allegedly shot and injured state Senator John Hoffman and his wife during the same incident, BBC News reports, with Sky News detailing that the accused also allegedly posed as a cop ahead of the fatal shooting.
Boelter, 57, was arrested without incident Sunday morning after an intense 43-hour manhunt that authorities described as the largest in Minnesota’s history.
In a painful detail shared by a fellow lawmaker and House Representative Erin Koegel, she revealed that the Hortman family's beloved golden retriever, Gilbert, was also shot during the attack, per the Daily Beast.
In a post on X, Koegel wrote that one of the first things the couple’s children had to do after learning of their parents' murder was to have Gilbert put down due to his injuries.
“It's hard to even put into words,” Koegel said. “They not only lost their parents, but also had to say goodbye to the dog their mother loved so dearly.”
Gilbert wasn’t just a pet, he was part of the family and part of Melissa Hortman’s long-standing commitment to helping others.
The former House speaker had volunteered for years with Helping Paws, a Minnesota-based nonprofit that trains service dogs for veterans and people with disabilities. She fostered and trained dogs in her home, and that’s where her connection to Gilbert began.
"[Melissa's] children had to put down him after learning their parents had been murdered," Koegel tweeted. "Gilbert wasn't going to survive. Melissa loved that dog. She trained him as a service dog. He flunked out of school and she was so happy he failed so he could stay! She needed him in heaven with her."
In a tribute on Facebook, Helping Paws shared a photo of Hortman from 2022, smiling warmly with her arm wrapped around Gilbert.
"This morning, we learned of the tragic and senseless death of former Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark," the nonprofit wrote on Facebook. "Melissa served her community in more ways than one.
"She was a Helping Paws Foster Home Trainer, a neighbor, and a friend. The Hortman family raised and trained Minnie, who is now a working service dog partnered with a Veteran. They also helped raise and train Gilbert, a service dog in training who was eventually career changed and became a cherished member of their family. At this time, we do not have confirmed information about Gilbert’s condition."
Police say Boelter, once a political appointee under Gov. Tim Walz, was found in a field in rural Minnesota early Sunday, according to CNN. His motive remains under investigation, though some reports have described the shooting as politically motivated.
The tragedy has rocked the Minnesota political community, prompting calls for reflection, justice, and support for the surviving victims and the Hortman family.
As the investigation continues, tributes continue to pour in for Melissa and Mark Hortman, and for Gilbert, the dog who was loved just as fiercely.