ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
People in Minnesota are getting a chance to say goodbye to lawmaker Melissa Hortman. She and her husband, Mark, were lying in state today at the Minnesota Capitol, where she had been a political force. They were killed in their home on June 14 by a man who authorities say posed as a police officer. He's now charged with murder. The attack shocked the nation. In her home state, Hortman was known as a prominent Democrat with a down-to-earth style. Minnesota Public Radio's Peter Cox was at the Capitol and joins us now. Hi, Peter.
PETER COX, BYLINE: Hi, Ari.
SHAPIRO: Tell us about what the scene was like today.
COX: So a line of several hundred people stretched through the Capitol, down the front steps and around the block throughout the day for the event. In the main rotunda, behind velvet ropes, were the two wooden coffins of Melissa and Mark Hortman and between them an urn with the remains of their golden retriever Gilbert, who was also killed in the attack. State patrol officers stood guard at the sides of the coffins, and two golden retriever service dogs sat at either side of the rotunda. People came through, and they paused for a moment of silence in front of the coffins, including former President Joe Biden, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and many other state dignitaries from both sides of the aisle.
SHAPIRO: As you talked to those people in line, what did they say about their reasons for coming?
COX: Well, I met 23-year-old Devic Richter, who drove 3 1/2 hours to be here. Two years ago, he said, he came to the state Capitol just to see it, and he met Melissa Hortman.
DEVIC RICHTER: I was just wandering around, and she just - she walked up to me and asked if she could just give me a tour, and she was on her - she was on a break or something. So it was so sweet and genuine and honestly made me more interested in politics.
COX: Richter says she spent 20 minutes showing him around, and it was enough to make him feel like he had to make the drive to pay his respects. People came in from across the state and the country. I met a woman from Florida who was in town for business who said she was so shocked by what had happened that she felt she had to be here.
SHAPIRO: I'm sure there was shock across the state. Can you tell us more about what the reaction has been to the killing and its aftermath?
COX: Yeah, I met many people outside who came not just - not because they knew the Hortmans but just to show support and pay their respects. Lara Anderson took the day off of work just to come see the Hortmans lying in state.
LARA ANDERSON: There used to be a time when Democrats and Republicans could sit in a room together and get along and talk about their different opinions, and it just doesn't feel that way anymore. It feels so divided. And obviously, assuming this is politically motivated, it just brings it to the next level.
COX: Now, the shootings have put politicians on edge here. The Minnesota State Capitol is historically completely open to the public, but legislators say they're now looking on how to strengthen security there. In another security step, the state government removed politicians' addresses from state records.
SHAPIRO: The man accused of killing the Hortmans also shot another lawmaker and his wife that night. They are recovering. He was in court today. What's the latest in his case?
COX: Yeah, Vance Boelter, who's facing murder charges, made a brief appearance in federal court this morning asking to be taken off suicide watch. He said he's not suicidal. And he and his attorney asked for a procedural hearing that was supposed to happen today to be pushed back to next week. The judge granted that. I'll note, though, back in line at the Capitol, several people said they came not only to show respect, but to stand up against political violence.
SHAPIRO: That's Minnesota Public Radio's Peter Cox. Thank you.
COX: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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