Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced that former State House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed in a politically motivated murder, and a second lawmaker and his wife were shot and wounded.
Authorities were actively searching for a suspect hours after the targeted killings.
“All of us, in Minnesota and across the country, must stand up to all forms of political violence,“ Walz said at a press conference Saturday. "Those responsible for this will be held accountable."
The injured lawmaker was identified as state Sen. John Hoffman, a Democrat first elected in 2012.
Hoffman is married and has one daughter.
Hortman was the top House Democratic leader in the state legislature and a former speaker of the House. She was first elected in 2004.
Drew Evans, head of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said authorities are actively searching for a suspect.
Autopsies will be performed to determine the extent of the injuries, but Hortman and her husband died of gunshot wounds, Evans said.
The suspect was dressed as a uniformed police officer and was driving a vehicle that looked exactly like a patrol SUV.
Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson said the suspect was impersonating a law enforcement officer.
"The suspect took advantage of the trust in our uniforms. "This betrayal is deeply troubling to those of us who wear the badge with honor and responsibility," he said.
The FBI has joined the investigation, according to a statement released by Dan Bonginio, the agency's deputy director.