St. Paul Reporter

Representative Ben Bakeberg of Jordan, Minnesota, has issued a statement following a shooting incident that resulted in the deaths of former Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark. The same event left Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette hospitalized.

"I am deeply disturbed and saddened by the tragedy that unfolded this morning. My heart goes out to the Hortman and Hoffman families during this unimaginably difficult time. Please join me in lifting them up in prayer.

In the strongest terms, I reaffirm this truth: politics must always be a platform for respectful dialogue, debate, and collaboration – not violence. We can and must do better as a society to uphold the values of civility and compassion."

The incident has prompted responses from state officials regarding safety concerns for public figures and calls for maintaining civility in political discourse.