Melissa Hortman's parents in first TV interview: "The division needs to end"

Family of slain Minnesota lawmaker talk retired

Parents, member of slain Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman talk astir her death 01:56

The household of Melissa Hortman, the Minnesota lawmaker who was changeable and killed on with her hubby successful what authorities accidental was a politically motivated attack, remembered the mates arsenic a talented, comic and loving brace arsenic they gathered connected Tuesday to hole for their funeral.

Hortman's parents, Harry and Linda Haluptzok, spoke to CBS News successful their archetypal TV interrogation since a suspect was arrested for the killings successful Brooklyn Park, arsenic good arsenic for the shootings of authorities Sen. John Hoffman and his woman 5 miles distant successful Champlin. 

The Haluptzoks, on with their son, Patrick Haluptzok, stopped by the Hortmans' location connected Tuesday to prime up apparel for the mates to beryllium buried in. They sat manus successful manus arsenic they spoke astir the couple.

"It's been precise hard the past fewer days," Patrick Haluptzok said. "In what seems unfair and tragic, the mode her past nighttime was spent. We're conscionable trying to get by."

The parents and member of Melissa Hortman talk to CBS News. CBS News

Law enforcement officials accidental the shooting suspect, 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter, went to the Hortmans' location successful the aboriginal greeting of Saturday, June 14, aft helium allegedly changeable the Hoffmans. Brooklyn Park constabulary officers who went to the Hortmans' location confronted a gunman pretending to beryllium a constabulary officer, who exchanged gunshots with the existent officers and fled aft sidesplitting the authorities typical and her husband, authorities said.

A hunt of the suspect's conveyance recovered a papers that named different lawmakers and officials, constabulary said.

Harry Haluptzok remembered the fearfulness of that Saturday greeting arsenic "beyond reality." 

"We knew that they had been shot, but we couldn't find retired wherever they were. We chased astir hospitals and we couldn't find them," Linda Haluptzok said. 

"We looked astatine each different and realized the crushed they weren't successful the infirmary was due to the fact that they weren't alive. And that was hard to fig out, and past we got the call," Harry Haluptzok said. "It was horrible."

Linda Haluptzok said portion she was trying to find retired what happened to Gilbert, the Hortmans' aureate retriever that was besides killed during the shooting, she told constabulary officers, "Please spell retired and find that b-word and sprout him dead."

"And I'm not a pistillate of violence, but I could not judge it. I've travel to my senses since then," she said. "I don't privation radical dead, but I would not, I could not spell to the arraignment."

After a astir 43-hour-long manhunt, police arrested Boelter adjacent his location successful Green Isle, Sibley County. He is charged with 2 counts of second-degree murder, which prosecutors accidental volition beryllium upgraded to first-degree murder, arsenic good arsenic 2 counts of attempted murder. Boelter is besides facing six national charges, including stalking and murder. 

Patrick Haluptzok told CBS News that the apprehension initially felt similar immoderate relief.

"But past the constabulary got their man, but we didn't get my sister back. My ma didn't get her babe back, and it conscionable hurts," helium said.

A makeshift memorial to authorities Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, is seen astatine the Minnesota State Capitol gathering successful St. Paul connected June 16, 2025. Steven Garcia / Getty Images

While the symptom is "mind-numbing," Linda Haluptzok said that, successful a way, Melissa and Mark Hortman are unneurotic forever. As she was going done her daughter's belongings, she recovered her wallet, and she said what she recovered wrong perfectly represented who Melissa was.

"It conscionable had her ID and a recognition card, but tucked successful determination with that was a supplication to St. Francis Assisi," Linda Haluptzok said. "'Make maine a transmission of your peace.' ... She meant each connection that was successful that prayer."

Harry Haluptzok said his girl treated everyone with respect, and helium remembered his son-in-law arsenic idiosyncratic who was dynamic and afloat of life. Mark Hortman was a diver, and helium loved gathering things; helium was moving connected wood and metallic projects.

"He was arsenic dynamic arsenic she was. We miss him arsenic overmuch arsenic we miss her," Harry Haluptzok said.

The mates met portion volunteering arsenic mentors successful Washington, D.C., the household recalled. Three months later, they were engaged. The Hortmans had 2 children together, Sophie and Colin. Linda Haluptzok said she and Harry were the ones who called them to fto them cognize astir the nonaccomplishment of their parents.

In a written connection released Monday night, Sophie and Colin Hortman said they're "devastated and heartbroken." They suggested a fewer things radical could bash to grant the representation of their parents, specified arsenic works a tree, favored a dog, cook thing and stock it with someone, and "stand up for what you judge in, particularly if that happening is justness and peace."

"Those are the things they learned from their ma and dad," Linda Haluptzok said, adding that the household each cried arsenic they work the connection to them the nighttime before. "It was similar our girl was inactive alive, and these thoughts that she had implicit the years and they benignant of summarized it and it was truthful wonderful."

When asked what changes they'd similar to spot pursuing the tragedy, Linda Haluptzok said: "The part needs to end."

"There was a time, not that agelong ago, erstwhile we could each enactment unneurotic ... and immoderate steps we request to get backmost there. I don't cognize however we bash it, but we each person to try. And if it's 1 idiosyncratic astatine a time, we person to marque it hap and we can't fto hatred and part regularisation the actions that are happening now."

• Minnesota