US lawmaker Melissa Hortman broke down in tears hours before fatal Minnesota shooting: Watch viral video here
Minnesota Representative Melissa Hortman's clip, which showed her clearly upset and emotional, went viral online, after the news of her passing.
Minnesota Representative Melissa Hortman, who was killed along with her husband in a “politically motivated” shooting on Saturday, appeared in a press conference just hours before the tragic incident.
The 57-year-old Democrat appeared in the media after supporting Republicans on Saturday to restrict access to healthcare for illegal immigrants. The clip from her address to the media has gone viral on social media, showing her breaking down in tears.
The former Minnesota House Speaker justified her contentious vote to support Republicans in restricting healthcare access for illegal immigrants in the touching video, saying: “I did what leaders do... I stepped up and I got the job done for the people of Minnesota.”
Hortman's video went viral after her passing
Hortman was the sole Democrat to support the legislation. The clip, which showed her clearly upset, went viral online, after the news of her passing.
Authorities have determined that the killing of Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, was a deliberate assassination. John Hoffman, a state senator, and his spouse were also shot in Minnesota and are still in the hospital. The couple underwent surgery.
The shooter exchanged gunfire with cops and successfully fled out the Hortman property, according to Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley.
The assailant was disguised as an officer, driving a car that looked like a police SUV with emergency lights.
Vance Boelter arrested
The FBI is offering assistance in the investigation, and Vance Boelter, 57, is the suspected gunman, has been taken into custody. He was reportedly lodging in a Minneapolis rental house owned by his longtime friend David Carlson.
Carlson, 59, claimed that Boelter texted him and another friend unsettling texts just before the incident, according to CNN affiliate KARE. Boelter allegedly said in the messages that he “may be dead shortly”.
According to David Carlson, Boelter had been battling unemployment and monetary issues. "He was looking around, but maybe things didn't work out and he just gave up and decided to go out in a blaze of glory," he said. “I have no idea what he was thinking.”
