Minnesotans are remembering DFL House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were both killed Saturday in what Governor Tim Walz is calling a politically motivated assassination.

Gov. Walz worked closely with Rep. Hortman almost every day over the last few weeks.

“Our state lost a great leader and I lost the dearest of friends. Speaker Hortman was someone who served the state of Minnesota with grace, compassion, humor and a sense of service. She was a formidable public servant. She woke up every day wanting to make this state a better place,” Walz said.

Former DFL State Senators Ember Reichgott Junge and Jeff Hayden shared their memories of Hortman and Hoffman on At Issue on Sunday.

“They had this incredible bipartisan bond. And I would see that. He was always able to work across the party lines, just like Melissa, and I would see that because every year I’d train advocates for people with disabilities and John Hoffman was always there on the panel in a mock hearing to allow the advocates to practice and you could just see his compassion and his care,” Junge said.

According to authorities, Vance Boelter, 57, posed as a police officer early Saturday morning and shot state representative Melissa Hortman and state senator John Hoffman and their spouses.

Boelter is still at large as of Sunday afternoon.

Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were both taken to the hospital, where they underwent surgery.

Governor Tim Walz said Saturday he was “cautiously optimistic” about their recovery.

Yvette told Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar on Sunday that she had been shot eight times and Hoffman was shot nine times, adding Hoffman has been through multiple surgeries and “is closer every hour to being out of the woods.”

A memorial on the steps of the Minnesota State Capitol for Hortman and her husband began growing overnight and on Sunday afternoon.

Watch reaction to the shootings from politicians around the state in the video player above.

RELATED: A look at the political careers of Minnesota Rep. Hortman, Sen. Hoffman

Sunday saw law enforcement descend upon Sibley County, where a vehicle tied to Boelter was discovered. Details about what was found during law enforcement’s search of the area have not been made public as of this report.

Authorities are asking residents not to approach the suspect if spotted. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the BCA tipline at 877-996-6222 or to email bca.tips@state.mn.us.