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“The entire Boston University community grieves the loss of one of our cherished alumnae, Melissa Hortman, who was a beloved and respected public servant.”
The Minnesota lawmaker who was fatally shot in her home over the weekend in an apparent assassination was an alumna of two Boston-area universities.
Melissa Hortman, a former Democratic House speaker, graduated from Boston University’s College of Arts and Sciences with degrees in philosophy and political science, the university said. She received graduate degrees from the Harvard Kennedy School and the University of Minnesota, according to her state biography.
She and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed in their northern Minneapolis suburban home early Saturday morning. Vance Boelter, the man accused of killing her, allegedly also shot state Sen. John Hoffman, a Democrat, and his wife earlier on the same night.
Hortman, 55, graduated from BU in 1991. BU President Melissa Gilliam addressed the loss in a statement Sunday.
“The entire Boston University community grieves the loss of one of our cherished alumnae, Melissa Hortman, who was a beloved and respected public servant,” Gilliam said. “We send deep condolences to her family, her friends, and to the people of Minnesota on this tragic and saddest of days.”
Hortman received her Master of Public Administration at the Kennedy School, the university confirmed in a statement. She graduated with a mid-career MPA in 2018, according to the Harvard Crimson, after splitting her time between her elected position in Minnesota and Cambridge.
A Harvard Kennedy School spokesperson described Hortman’s loss as devastating for the community.
“Melissa was a dedicated and inspiring public servant,” the spokesperson told Boston.com. “She will be missed by faculty, staff, and so many alumni who studied with her during her time on campus.”
Boelter, 57, surrendered to police Sunday after a nearly two-day manhunt. He faces charges of federal murder and stalking offenses, as well as related state charges, according to the Associated Press.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said at a press conference that Boelter meticulously planned the attacks, carried out surveillance missions, and took notes on the homes and people he targeted. AP reported that his list of names included prominent lawmakers, community leaders, abortion rights advocates, and information about health care facilities.
Boelter’s “hit list” had 45 names, all of whom were Democrats, according to NPR. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the former candidate for vice president, said the attack appeared to be “a politically motived assassination.”
“Our state lost a great leader, and I lost the dearest of friends,” Walz said. “This was an act of targeted political violence.”
This article was updated to include a statement from the Kennedy School.
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