Minneapolis, Minnesota - A gunman shot two Democratic state lawmakers in Minnesota early Saturday, killing one and her husband and wounding the other, in what Governor Tim Walz said were "politically motivated" attacks.

The suspected assailant was still at large, officials said, with a massive manhunt underway.

President Donald Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi – both known for their violent rhetoric against political opponents – decried the "horrific" incidents and said the perpetrators would be prosecuted to "the fullest extent of the law."

State representative Melissa Hortman – the former Minnesota House speaker – and her husband Mark were killed at their home near Minneapolis, Walz told a press conference.

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State senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were shot and wounded, the governor said, his voice breaking with emotion. He said officials remained "cautiously optimistic" they would recover.

"This was an act of targeted political violence," Walz told reporters. "Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don't settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint."

Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said Hoffman and his wife were shot first, and as police investigated, Hortman and her husband were shot about 90 minutes later.

The suspected gunman was able to escape during an exchange of gunfire with officers near Hortman's residence, Evans told reporters.

"We're actively searching for that individual right now," he said.

In both cases, authorities believe the assailant was impersonating a law enforcement officer, ABC News reported, quoting a source familiar with the investigation.

Police are looking for a white man with brown hair, wearing black body armor over a blue shirt and blue pants, local TV station KSTP said.