Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were shot multiple times early Saturday morning. Health care providers believe they will survive the attack.

The man accused of assassinating the top Democrat in the Minnesota House held deeply religious and politically conservative views, telling a congregation in Africa two years ago that the U.S. was in a “bad place” where most churches didn’t oppose abortion.

Mourners gathered outside the Minnesota Capitol building Sunday to remember the life of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her spouse, Mark Hortman. Those in attendance added flowers, cards and candles to a memorial in front of the Capitol steps.

Lawmakers are still reeling from the shooting that killed one Minnesota state legislator and her husband and severely wounded another and his wife. Even as authorities searched for the suspect in the shooting, the state’s two U.S. Senators noted the attack was one of an increasing examples of political violence.

During her two decades in elected office, Melissa Hortman positioned herself as a consensus builder and DFLer willing to work with Republicans. “Everybody liked her and respected her on both sides of the aisle,” said former GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

• Grief, anger prevail in reactions to killing of House DFL leader Hortman

Artist Karen Keenan discovered she had family ties to the centuries-old practice of turning human hair into art through an intricate process of braiding and shaping. Now she wants to revive the once-popular Swedish art form by teaching it to others.