Gilbert, the golden retriever trained by murdered Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman, had to be put down after the shooting that killed her and husband Mark at their home.

SUSPECT CAPTURED: Vance Boelter, the suspect in the fatal shootings of a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband, as well as the woundings of another lawmaker and his wife, has been captured.

Inside Grace Fellowship church in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, community members stricken with tragedy look for comfort and an answer to why.

Vance Boelter is accused of shooting Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman and state Sen. John Hoffman in “politically motivated” attacks.

The shooting of two Minnesota state lawmakers has sent shockwaves across the nation. This grim development marks a disturbing escalation: while violence is not new, its recent migration to the state and local level represents a concerning trend.

The suspect accused of assassinating a Minnesota lawmaker and shooting another this weekend drove to the homes of at least four state politicians as part of a carefully planned attack, federal authorities said on Monday.

Before Representative Melissa Hortman’s death, the state’s House was evenly divided. The governor has until next February to fill her seat before the next legislative session.