The children of Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman are speaking out on their parents' murders. “They were the bright lights at the center of our lives, and we can’t believe they are gone," Sophie and Colin Hortman wrote in a statement obtained by PEOPLE Monday.

"The best way to honor our parents' memory is to do something, whether big or small, to make our community just a little better for someone else.”

Early Saturday morning, Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were assassinated in their home.

A suspect is in custody after Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were fatally shot Saturday, while State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were wounded.

When a longtime Minnesota lawmaker died after a battle with ALS, former state House Speaker Melissa Hortman helped pass historic legislation in search of a cure.

Minneapolis mourns the assassination of Speaker Hortman and husband; city emphasizes democracy, safety, and community events.

Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman was more than just the state House’s top Democrat, according to those who knew her. She “was a bright shining light of a human being,” Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon,

The company intends to remember the husband of Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman for “his intelligence, kindness, and generosity.”