Assassination of Minnesota Lawmaker, Husband Also Claims Life of Couple's Rescue Dog
Assassination of Minnesota Lawmaker, Husband Also Claims Life of Couple's Rescue Dog originally appeared on L.A. Mag.
When a gunman stalked lawmaker Melissa Hortman, killing her and her husband, there was a third victim: her golden retriever, Gilbert.Helping Paws is a nonprofit organization outside of Minneapolis that aims to train dogs suitable for assisting people with disabilities, veterans, and first responders. Helping Paws hopes to enhance people's quality of life with their dogs and continues to do so each and every day. Hortman, a Minnesota lawmaker, was first introduced to Helping Paws in 2014 through her daughter's high school service project. After her daughter left for college, Hortman continued her involvement with the program and volunteered to train another dog. In 2021, Hortman adopted Gilbert, the friendly, people-loving golden retriever. While she planned to train him to be a service dog, Gilbert's overwhelming friendliness stood in the way of his career options, leading to his permanent adoption as the Hortman's beloved family pet.
In a tragic, politically targeted home attack on Saturday, June 14, against Melissa Hortman, both she and her husband were shot and killed. Gilbert was unfortunately shot and injured alongside his owners. After days of fighting for his life, Gilbert sadly had to be euthanized. Gilbert was a profound part of Melissa's identity and a cherished member of the Hortman family. In a statement, Melissa's children announced that one way they intend to keep their mother's memory alive is by petting dogs daily, ideally golden retrievers. Helping Paws announced on their Facebook that they are currently in the process of creating a fund in honor of the Hortmans that will continue to honor and support their program.
This story was originally reported by L.A. Mag on Jun 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
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