Joe Biden and Kamala Harris attended the funeral of the murdered legislator Melissa Hortman
The slain legislator is the first woman to be laid out in state at the Minnesota Capitol, along with her husband and their pet
Former President Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz attended the funeral on Saturday for legislator Melissa Hortman and her husband, who were murdered on June 14.
Democratic Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were shot to death in their home, were laid to rest at the Minnesota State Capitol.
Beside the Hortmans was their golden retriever, Gilbert, who was injured in the attack and later had to be euthanized, authorities said.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and first lady Gwen Walz also paid their respects.
The funeral took place Saturday at St. Mary’s Basilica in Minneapolis, with Biden and Harris sitting together in the front row of the church.
The man accused of her killing is Vance Luther Boelter, a 57-year-old security company chief and preacher.
Boelter impersonated a police officer and wounded Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife at their home, then killed Hortman, also a Democrat, the Minnesota House speaker emeritus, and her husband at their home. both.
After shooting the two lawmakers and their partners, he exchanged gunfire with police and fled in a car he bought for cash and then abandoned about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) from his home in Green Isle, Minnesota.
Boelter, who is in federal custody, was arrested after two days of an intensive search and seizure operation.
According to prosecutors, he planned the attacks extensively, researched his victims, and “kept their homes under surveillance.” During a search of his car, investigators found surveillance notebooks listing more than 45 elected officials.

