A state lawmaker from North Dakota and a pilot were tragically killed when their small plane went down on Saturday in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.
The lawmaker was identified as Rep. Liz Conmy (D-Fargo) but the pilot was not publicly named, Fox News reported Monday.
The plane, a Beech F33A, went down near Crystal Airport not long after takeoff and caught fire when it hit the ground. Police were called to the scene where emergency crews found the plane engulfed in flames. Firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze.
Video footage showed the tragic moment the plane crashed and burst into flames:
Officials with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said they will investigate what happened.
“We are completely heartbroken and gutted by the loss of Representative Liz Conmy. Her death is a profound loss for our state. As a lawmaker, she championed public education, the environment, and transparency,” the North Dakota Dem-NPL wrote in a statement:
According to the North Dakota Monitor, the pilot was a friend of the lawmaker’s. The article also noted that Conmy, who was in the midst of running for reelection, has four children.
“State Sen. Tim Mathern, who described Conmy as a friend and former running mate, said she brought ‘a zest for life and a strong work ethic’ and would be missed by Democrats and Republicans alike,” the Fox report stated.
One neighbor who lives near the crash site said he “felt the house shake” when the plane went down, adding he rushed to the scene while calling 911 for help, according to KSTP:
In a statement following the tragedy, North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong (R) said, “Liz served her state and community with care and compassion, from her service in the Legislature and on the state’s Human Trafficking Commission to her work on education, habitat, and immigration. Kjersti and I are saddened by this tragic loss and offer our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and fellow legislators. We ask North Dakotans to join us in keeping them in our prayers.”
He also directed U.S. and state flags to be flown at half-staff on the day of the lawmaker’s interment and encouraged North Dakota residents to follow his lead in honoring her life.