WASHINGTON: A Democratic state lawmaker and her husband were killed early Saturday in what appeared to be a “politically motivated assassination”, while a second lawmaker and his spouse were wounded in a separate attack, Minnesota governor Tim Walz said.

“An unspeakable tragedy has unfolded in Minnesota – my good friend and colleague, Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, were shot and killed early this morning in what appears to be a politically motivated assassination,” he told reporters.