BROOKLYN PARK, MN—In what is described as “targeted political violence” by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, lawmakers former House Speaker Democratic State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, were fatally shot at their Brooklyn Park home early Saturday, June 14, 2025. State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, were also shot and seriously injured at their residence in Champlin, approximately five miles away. Authorities have identified 57-year-old Vance Boelter as the suspect, who remains at large—a multi-agency manhunt is underway.
Boelter, the identified suspect was appointed to the Governor’s Workforce Development Board in 2016 by then-Governor Mark Dayton and in 2019 by Governor Walz, with his term expiring in January 2023. His current address is listed in Green Isle, Minnesota. He is the Director of Security Patrols for Praetorian Guard Security Services located in Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro Area.
According to his bio listed on the security company’s website, “Dr. Vance Boelter has been involved with security situations in Eastern Europe, Africa, North America and the Middle East, including the West Bank, Southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.”
“This was an act of targeted political violence,” Governor Tim Walz said condemning the shootings. “Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don’t settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint.”
“I have been briefed on the terrible shooting that took place in Minnesota, which appears to be a targeted attack against State Lawmakers,” President Donald J. Trump released in a statement. “Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America.”
U.S. Representative Suzan DelBene (D-WA) expressed grief, stating, “I’m heartbroken & disgusted by the targeted political attack that took the lives of State Rep. Melissa Hortman & her husband, Mark. My prayers are with State Sen. John Hoffman & his wife, Yvette. We must condemn political violence in all forms. Our democracy depends on it.”
The targeted political assassinations began around 2:00 a.m. CDT when Boelter, allegedly posing as a police officer, shot Senator Hoffman and his wife multiple times at their Champlin home. Both underwent surgery and is expected to survive. Hoffman’s nephew posted to social media that the couple were each shot five or six times.
In a safety check prompted by the attempted killing Sen. Hoffman and his family, law enforcement proactively checked on Representative Hortman’s residence around 3:35 a.m., where they encountered a fake police vehicle with active lights. The suspect fired at officers, exchanged gunfire, and fled on foot after abandoning the fake police vehicle, retreating into the Hortman home where the former House Speaker and her husband were found dead.
A multi-agency manhunt is underway in the Edinburgh Golf Course area in Brooklyn Park involving local police, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office has advised residents not to open doors to lone police officers.
Governor Walz took to X advising residents statewide not to attend scheduled protests for Saturday: “Out of an abundance of caution my Department of Public Safety is recommending that people do not attend any political rallies today in Minnesota until the suspect is apprehended.”
Investigators discovered a “manifesto” or list in the suspect’s abandoned vehicle, naming Hortman, Hoffman, and other Minnesota Democratic officials, including Governor Tim Walz, U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar, U.S. Senator Tina Smith, and Attorney General Keith Ellison. Fliers reading “No Kings” were also found, potentially linking the suspect to anti-Trump sentiments.
Authorities are exploring the suspect’s motivations and other targets including Minnesota lawmakers, with the investigation ongoing.
Rep. Hortman was reportedly involved in a controversial vote during a special legislative session on June 9, 2025, when the Minnesota Legislature passed SSHF1, a bill amending MinnesotaCare eligibility to exclude undocumented adults from the state’s subsidized health insurance program.
Rep. Hortman, was the sole House Democrat to vote with Republicans, ensured passage in the tied chamber. However, there is no direct evidence confirming Sen. Hoffman’s vote in favor of the legislation.
The repeal, projected to save $56.9 million in the 2026-27 biennium, passed the House (68-65) and Senate (37-30) and was sent to Governor Walz, who is expected to sign it due to a budget provision threatening to defund the Minnesota Department of Health in case of a veto.
Former House Speaker Melissa Hortman, a Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL) Party member, was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2004, representing District 34B, and served continuously through 2025. She held the position of House Speaker from 2019 to 2025 and was the DFL House caucus leader at the time of her death. John Hoffman, also a DFL member, was elected to the Minnesota Senate in 2012, representing District 34, and was reelected in 2016, 2020, and 2022, serving through 2025.
Author: Mario Lotmore
