Hortman, Hoffman Families Issue Statements Following Deadly Mass Shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church Wednesday Morning

(KNSI) — Two Minnesota families who recently dealt with their own tragic shootings are issuing statements of support for the victims of the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis on Wednesday morning.

House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, who were killed in a targeted attack on elected officials on June 14th, said their hearts are “with the parents, families, and friends of the victims of today’s senseless act of violence. No one should have to suffer the loss of a loved one to gun violence. Mark and Melissa believed that children should be able to gather in schools safely, that communities should be able to worship in peace, and that families should be safe in their homes. We hope this tragedy spurs elected officials to take action towards common-sense measures on access to high-powered weapons so that no one else must suffer.”

State Senator John Hoffman, who, along with his wife Yvette, was shot a combined 17 times in their Champlin home that same morning, posted their thoughts, saying, “We are all impacted by these mindless acts of violence and senseless attacks. The evil actions of an individual can impact the lives of so many, the victims, and our community. Our family understands this firsthand and calls on our State and the nation to find more grace and peace in our daily lives. We will hold these families in our hearts and prayers forever.”

A masked gunman posing as a police officer gained access to the Hortman and Hoffman homes under the guise of a welfare check before he opened fire. The suspect had other lawmaker names and addresses in a notebook found inside his car, which also contained weapons and scores of ammunition.

Authorities say the gunman in Wednesday’s attack approached the church from the outside and started shooting through the stained glass windows just as mass had started to mark the beginning of the new year at Annunciation Catholic School. Roughly 200 people were inside worshipping when the gunfire erupted. Seventeen people were hurt. Fourteen of them are children ranging in age from six to 15; the other three were parishioners in their 80s. They are all expected to survive. Two students, ages eight and ten, were pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
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