MINNEAPOLIS (Gray News) – The dog of Minnesota Democratic State Representative Melissa Hortman was also killed in the shooting that left the politician and her husband dead.
Hortman, her husband, and their golden retriever Gilbert were all killed early Saturday by a gunman in an act that officials describe as a “politically motivated assassination.”
According to KARE, the Hortmans spent countless hours volunteering with Helping Paws, a nonprofit organization that breeds, trains, and places assistance dogs with people who have physical disabilities and veterans and first responders with PTSD.
Melissa Hortman was dedicated to training Gilbert to be an assistance dog, but he was deemed “too friendly” to serve as a working dog. So, the Hortmans kept him as their family pet.
Sadly, the beloved pet died alongside his owners.
“He was with his people until the very end,” Alyssa Golob, executive director with Helping Paws, told KARE.
Hortman is being remembered by the veterans that she aided through Helping Paws.
One veteran, Arik Elsner, told KARE that the Hortmans gave him his loyal companion, Minnie, and thus a second chance at life.
Elsner had been diagnosed with PTSD and other medical issues when he got the call that a service dog was ready for him.
“I got a call, and they said we think we have a match for you,” he said. “She [Minnie] got me going again.”
Before Minnie was Elsner’s, she spent the first 2.5 years of her life in the care of the Hortman family, being trained to one day be given to a veteran.
Together, Melissa Hortman, her husband, and their daughter trained Minnie.
“It just makes me think of how special their family was, you know?” Elsner said. “I will always think of them.”
Elsner told KARE he was shocked by the news that the Hortmans were killed.
“It doesn’t make sense. I’m so sad. Everybody is,” he said.
Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot and wounded in the attack.
The suspect, Vance Boelter, was taken into custody Sunday night after a manhunt.
He is facing both state and federal charges.
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