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CBS News
4 hours ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Minnesota lawmaker shootings suspect was "prepper" who gave wife "bailout plan," affidavit states
Recently unsealed court documents shed more light on the mindset and actions of the man charged in connection to the deadly shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses this past weekend in the Twin Cities. Vance Boelter, 57, is in custody and faces multiple federal and state murder charges following the attack overnight Saturday that killed Democratic House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, inside their Brooklyn Park home. Boelter's also accused of shooting and seriously wounding Democratic Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, inside their Champlin home about 90 minutes earlier. A memorial for Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband is set up outside the Capitol in St. Paul on June 15, 2025. WCCO Details from the affidavit According to an affidavit filed by an FBI special agent, law enforcement pulled over Boelter's wife and four children hours after the shootings on Saturday near Lake Mille Lacs. His wife told investigators they were going to visit friends after her husband posted in a family group text "they needed to get out of the house and people with guns may be showing up." The affidavit states Boelter's wife told investigator they were "preppers," meaning they "prepare for major or catastrophic incidents." She says her husband gave her a "bailout plan," including a directive to go to her mother's home in southwestern Wisconsin. She also told investigators her husband "has a business partner from Worthington" who lives in the state of Washington. She allegedly said the two were "partners … in Red Lion, a security company and fishing outfit in Congo, Africa," the affidavit states. Detectives sweep Hortmans' neighborhood again Brooklyn Park police say detectives are again canvassing the area of the Hortmans' home near Edinburgh Golf Course on Friday "for any additional evidence related to the homicides" and Wednesday's break-in at their home. Police say "there is no danger to the public." WCCO's Sky 4 helicopter spotted law enforcement gathered at a pond on the golf course, with drivers searching the waters. WCCO The evidence scattered around Hortman's neighborhood Police encountered Boelter at about 3:30 a.m. Saturday outside the Hortmans' home, where they exchanged gunfire, the federal criminal complaint notes. After allegedly killing the Hortmans, he fled the area on foot. Officers pursued, finding a ballistic vest, handgun magazines, a flashlight, face mask and Beretta 92 9mm pistol along the way. The federal complaint notes investigators identified Boelter from a storage unit bill found at the scene that listed his name; license plates found that were removed from the vehicle left outside the Hortmans' home, registered to Boelter and his wife; and pieces of the Beretta handgun — bought by Boelter in 2020 — and abandoned ammo magazine found in the Hortmans' neighborhood. Investigators say the ammo matched bullet casings found around their home. Hoffmans detail night of terror Yvette Hoffman, who was shot eight times, was released from the hospital on Thursday evening. Her husband, who suffered nine gunshot wounds, is in serious but stable condition. Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman with his wife, Yvette Hoffman (right), and his daughter, Hope Hoffman (left). John Hoffman via Facebook In a statement released on Thursday night, the Hoffman family recounted the terrifying attack, saying they were woken up by someone impersonating an officer who was banging on their door at 2 a.m. The senator was shot while lunging at the gunman. As he fell to the floor, his wife was shot while pushing the gunman out of the front doorway. The Hoffmans' daughter, Hope, shut and locked the door before calling 911, triggering a warning that a "politically motivated act was potentially underway," according to the statement. "We are grappling with the reality that we live in a world where public service carries such risks as being targeted because someone disagrees with you or doesn't like what you stand for," the family wrote in the statement. "As a society, as a nation, as a community, we must work together to return to a level of civility that allows us all to live peacefully. The future for our children depends on that. We will be praying for that work and appreciate all those who will join with us." This story will be updated. , , , and contributed to this report.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Minnesota lawmaker shot 9 times at his home in 'targeted' attack is in a critical condition
The Minnesota lawmaker who survived an attack by a gunman on his doorstep is still in a critical condition and has revealed details of the terrifying moment he and his wife were shot multiple times. Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, released a statement Thursday, obtained by NBC affiliate KARE of Minneapolis, outlining the events in the early hours of June 14. The Hoffmans continue their recovery in the hospital — Sen. Hoffman is in a critical but stable condition, while his wife is in a stable condition, the statement said. The suspected gunman, Vance Boelter, is accused of shooting them and killing the state's top legislator, Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz described the shootings as "targeted political violence." In the statement, the Hoffmans described the night of the shooting, which occurred after they returned to their Champlin home from a dinner. Their adult daughter Hope was also present. "At approximately 2:00 a.m., we were all awakened by the sounds of pounding on the front door and shouts of someone seeking entry, identifying himself as a police officer," the couple's statement said. "When the door was opened, all three of us were in the entryway. John initially lunged at the gunman as the weapon was pointed directly at him, getting struck nine times. As John fell, Yvette reached out to push the man and shut the door, succeeding before she was also hit eight times by gunfire," the statement continued. The couple's daughter then shut the door and locked it before phoning 911. "Her brave actions and quick thinking triggered the notice to public safety officials that a politically-motivated act was potentially underway," the statement said. The Hoffmans thanked the medical professionals who cared for them and the law enforcement officers who attended the scene and eventually caught Boelter after what became the biggest manhunt in Minnesota history. The couple also said they were "heartbroken to know that our friends Melissa and Mark Hortman were assassinated," adding that their daughters went to school together In the statement, the couple also thanked the local community and Fernbrook School, where Yvette Hoffman works, for organizing a GoFundMe page that has raised almost $200,000 to pay for medical expenses and increased security measures. Prosecutors said that notebooks found in Boelter's SUV and at his home showed the names of more than 45 state and federal elected officials. The Hoffmans reflected on the threat faced by public officials and said they understood that public sector figures sacrifice some level of privacy. "But now we are grappling with the reality that we live in a world where public service carries such risks as being targeted because someone disagrees with you or doesn't like what you stand for," they said. This article was originally published on
Fox News
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Fox News
Minnesota shooting timeline: Suspect Vance Boelter's last words to family before capture
Print Close By Audrey Conklin Published June 20, 2025 A Minnesota man is in custody after allegedly shooting two state lawmakers and their spouses, killing two Saturday morning. Vance Luther Boelter, 57, was captured in Sibley County after a two-day manhunt and now faces state and federal murder charges, among other crimes. He is accused of killing former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, a Democrat, and her husband, Mark, early Saturday morning at their Brooklyn Park home in Minneapolis. He also allegedly shot state Sen. John Hoffman, also a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, in their nearby Champlin home in a related attack. The Sibley County Sheriff's Office told Fox News Boelter "verbally" identified himself to authorities searching for him in the area on Sunday evening. MINNESOTA LAWMAKER HAPPENED TO BE ON VACATION WHEN MASKED SUSPECT KNOCKED ON DOOR "The face of evil," the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post Sunday, along with a photo of Boelter's capture. "After relentless and determined police work, the killer is now in custody. Thanks to the dedication of multiple agencies working together along with support from the community, justice is one step closer." In the days since the shootings, officials have released more information in court records, establishing a clearer timeline of events: June 14 2 a.m. Authorities responded to a 911 call around 2:06 a.m. Saturday from the Hoffmans' daughter reporting that her parents — John and Yvette — had been shot in their home in Champlin. Both victims were transported to a nearby hospital and are expected to recover. MINNESOTA SHOOTING SUSPECT VANCE BOELTER TO FACE FEDERAL CHARGES IN LAWMAKER ATTACKS Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., shared a message from Hoffman's wife on Sunday, saying John was shot nine times and Yvette was struck eight times. "John is enduring many surgeries right now and is closer every hour to being out of the woods," Yvette wrote in a message to Klobuchar. "He took [nine] bullet hits. I took [eight] and we are both incredibly lucky to be alive. We are gutted and devastated by the loss of Melissa and Mark. There is never a place for this kind of political hate." HEAR THE DISPATCH CALL: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said "the heroic actions by the Hoffman family and their daughter Hope saved countless lives" during a news conference Sunday. "The latest news is Sen. Hoffman came out of his final surgery and is moving toward that, toward recovery," Walz said at Sunday night's news conference. 2:24 a.m. After the shooting at the Hoffmans' home, Boelter traveled to the home of another Minnesota state representative in the Maple Grove neighborhood, according to court documents and acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson, who spoke during a news conference Monday announcing federal charges against Boelter. MINNESOTA LAWMAKER SHOOTING SUSPECT HAD CACHE OF WEAPONS, HIT LIST IN VEHICLE, COURT DOCUMENTS SHOW Around 2:24 a.m. Saturday, he knocked on the unnamed state lawmaker's door, but no one answered. The lawmaker and his wife were on vacation. Thompson described security footage as "haunting" because the suspect still had on the silicon mask and police uniform worn at the Hoffmans' shooting. "Boelter planned his attack carefully." — Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson 2:36 a.m. Just minutes after knocking on the Maple Grove family's door, Boelter allegedly traveled to another state senator's home in New Hope, Minnesota. Boelter parked on the street in his black SUV. New Hope police dispatched an officer to the state senator's home to conduct a wellness check. Upon arrival, an officer located Boelter's SUV parked on the block with its lights on, according to the U.S. attorney. "The New Hope police officer pulled up next to Boelter … rolled down her window and attempted to speak with him. Boelter did not respond," Thompson said. "The New Hope police officer proceeded to the state senator's home, and she waited for law enforcement to arrive. … By the time they did, Boelter had left the scene." SUSPECTED MINNESOTA LAWMAKER ASSASSIN VANCE BOELTER CAPTURED 3:35 a.m. Boelter then traveled to the Hortmans' home in Brooklyn Park, where he allegedly shot Melissa and Mark while wearing the same police uniform and mask. Officials had been "proactively" dispatched to the Hortmans' home in the Brooklyn Park neighborhood of Minneapolis after hearing what had happened at the Hoffmans' home. Upon arrival at around 3:35 a.m., officers witnessed the suspect shoot one of the victims through the open front door. Officers discovered both victims dead from gunshot wounds inside the house, according to a probable cause statement. MINNESOTA OFFICIALS FIND CAR, HAT BELONGING TO ASSASSIN SUSPECT VANCE BOELTER ON HIGHWAY IN 'FLUID' SEARCH Police exchanged gunfire with Boelter before he fled the area, court documents state. "Question is, how important was it that the police officer stopped at Rep. Hortman's house, which really foiled this entire plan?" Thompson asked during Monday's press conference. "It's incredibly important. That started with a sergeant who was actually off duty – was walking out of the building and had heard that there was a shooting in another community at Sen. Hoffman's house, [and] being alert, said to officers and the police department, 'Hey, drive by Melissa Hortman's house and just check on the house, would you?' And that's essentially why they pulled up and found [him] in the drive." Thomspon added "the criminal act was occurring" when officers arrived at the Hortmans' home. "It's no exaggeration to say this is the stuff of nightmares." — Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson "Had they not foiled the plan … essentially took his vehicle away from him, which involved all his maps, all his names, all his weaponry – I would be very scared what it would look like over the next few hours had [they] not done that," the U.S. attorney said. 5:30 a.m. The Brooklyn Park Police Department issued a shelter-in-place order for residents in the area, FOX 9 Minneapolis first reported. SUSPECT IN SHOOTING OF MINNESOTA LAWMAKER CHARGED WITH MURDER, STALKING; FACES LIFE IN PRISON OR DEATH 6:18 a.m. Boelter texted his family members at 6:18 a.m. Saturday after the shootings, according to court documents. "Dad went to war last night… I don't wanna say more because I don't wanna implicate anybody," the alleged text says. Around the same time, Boelter allegedly sent a message to his wife stating, "Words are not gonna explain how sorry I am for this situation… there's gonna be some people coming to the house armed and trigger-happy and I don't want you guys around." 7 a.m. Boelter meets a witness, identified only as Witness 1 in court documents, at a bus stop in north Minneapolis. DRAMATIC PHOTOS SHOW MINNESOTA LAWMAKER'S HOME DAMAGED IN SHOOTING AS MANHUNT FOR SUSPECT CONTINUES Witness 1 told police Boelter, whom he did not know, was carrying two duffel bags and asked to purchase an electric bike from the witness. The witness agreed, and they boarded the bus to the witness' home. Once there, Boelter allegedly asked to purchase the witness' Buick sedan, and the witness agreed, according to the probable cause statement. Boelter then drove the sedan to a bank in Robinsdale and withdrew $2,000. Cameras captured him wearing a cowboy hat at the time. The suspect allegedly paid the witness $900 for the e-bike and sedan. 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Officials host a news conference announcing the Hortmans were pronounced dead after officials were dispatched to their home that morning. Gov. Tim Walz urged the public not to attend political rallies scheduled for that Saturday in Minneapolis. Sometime Saturday morning, Boelter's wife, Jennifer Boelter, "consented to a search of her car," the probable cause statement states. "From the car, law enforcement recovered two handguns, approximately $10,000 in cash, and passports for Mrs. Boelter and her children, who were in the car with Mrs. Boelter at the time," the document states. 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The Associated Press first identified Vance Luther Boelter as a suspect in the related Saturday morning shootings. Local records show Gov. Walz and former Gov. Mark Dayton appointed the suspect to the nonpartisan workforce development board in 2019 and 2016, respectively. His term on the board expired in 2023. Officials served a search warrant at a Minneapolis home where Boelter was renting a room with two other roommates. He stayed there some nights to be closer to work, while his family lived in a different home in Green Isle, the Star Tribune reported. Authorities set up a staging area near Boelter's Green Isle home Saturday afternoon. Around 3 p.m. Saturday, authorities officially named Boelter as a suspect in the shootings. 4 p.m. The FBI announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to Boelter's arrest. June 15 2:30 a.m. Authorities received information about an individual riding an e-bike about two miles northeast of Boelter's home in Green Isle. 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. The search for Boelter continued into Sunday morning, with Sibley County authorities issuing a be-on-the-lookout alert for Boelter to residents just before 11 a.m. Officials located the suspect's vehicle and cowboy hat off Highway 25 in Faxon Township Sunday morning, leading numerous law enforcement agencies and about 20 SWAT teams to respond to the area to search for Boelter in the rural suburban farming community. Read the complaint: Authorities uncovered a disturbing arsenal in Boelter's possession, documents said. Inside his vehicle, registered to him, police found three AK-47 assault rifles, a 9mm handgun and a list of names and addresses of other public officials. 5:30 p.m. Minneosta authorities held a news conference early Sunday evening, calling the search for Boelter "fluid." 9:10 p.m. Law enforcement located Boelter "in a field" about a mile from his Green Isle home just after 9 p.m. Sunday. The Sibley County Sheriff's Office told Fox News Boelter "verbally" identified himself to authorities searching for him in the area on Sunday evening. Sibley County resident Kevin Effertz, who owns the property where Boelter was arrested, told Fox News Digital Monday that a friend who stopped by his home Sunday saw something suspicious. "She saw this guy out in the field that was by himself, dressed in black, just with his back toward her," Effertz said. "When she started coming down the driveway, he ducked down, which made her kind of suspicious." WATCH SIBLEY COUNTY RESIDENT'S INTERVIEW: The friend then "waved down" a police officer nearby, who told her to go to a safe area. "Within 20 minutes, she called me back and said they already had him," Effertz said. 10:30 p.m. Officials held a news conference announcing the suspect's arrest. Speaking at a news conference alongside other law enforcement officers after Boelter's arrest, Brooklyn Park Police Department Chief Mark Bruley said there were more than 20 different SWAT teams involved in the search. He described it as "the largest manhunt in the state's history." The manhunt included officers from multiple agencies on foot as well as the use of a helicopter. The Hennepin County District Court issued a criminal complaint charging Boelter with four felony counts of second-degree murder with intent (not premeditated). June 16 11 a.m. The Hennepin County Attorney's Office announced that it would be pursuing first-degree murder charges against Boelter. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP His bail was set at $5 million. 12 p.m. U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson announced new federal charges against the suspect, including two counts of stalking, two counts of murder and two counts of gun-related crimes related to the Saturday shootings. Print Close URL
CNN
15 hours ago
- Politics
- CNN
Minnesota lawmaker who survived shooting shares harrowing account of how the attack unfolded
Crime Gun violenceFacebookTweetLink Follow Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, shared details of the harrowing morning nearly a week ago when a man in a silicone mask who knocked on their door and identified himself as a police officer shot them repeatedly. In a statement released Thursday night and obtained by CNN affiliate KARE, the couple publicly describes for the first time the targeted shooting in their Champlin, Minnesota, home that left them critically injured. The night before the shooting, the Hoffmans had returned home from a dinner hosted by the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and went to bed, the statement said. But they were awakened around 2 a.m. Saturday by someone pounding on the front door and shouting, asking to enter and identifying himself as a police officer, the family recounted. When the door opened, the couple and their adult daughter, Hope, were standing in the entryway. When the shooter pointed a gun directly at John Hoffman, the senator lunged at the gunman, and he was shot nine times, according to the statement. 'As John fell, Yvette reached out to push the man and shut the door,' and 'she was also hit eight times by gunfire,' the statement said. That's when Hope Hoffman raced to shut the door and secure the lock. She then called 911, telling the operator the senator had been shot in his home, triggering 'the notice to public safety officials that a politically-motivated act was potentially underway,' the family said. Prosecutors say suspected gunman Vance Boelter visited the homes of at least four Minnesota lawmakers, attempting to kill the Hoffmans and fatally shooting state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman. After the shooting, both John and Yvette Hoffman underwent surgery, according to officials. John Hoffman 'is in critical but stable condition; Yvette Hoffman is in stable condition, as well,' the family statement said. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz told reporters at an event Thursday he expected Yvette Hoffman to be released from the hospital that day. No one by Yvette's name is currently at Mercy Hospital, where she had been treated after the shooting, a spokesperson with Allina Health told CNN. Earlier this week, Yvette Hoffman told US Sen. Amy Klobuchar in a text message that she and her husband were 'incredibly lucky to be alive,' Klobuchar shared on her social media. Yvette said at the time her husband had endured 'many surgeries' and is 'closer every hour to being out of the woods.' Boelter, 57, allegedly had a hit list of dozens of targets, which were largely Democrats or figures with ties to Planned Parenthood or the abortion rights movement, officials said. The search for Boelter lasted 43 hours and was the largest manhunt in Minnesota history. He faces six federal charges and four state charges. The Hoffman family said in their statement they are deeply grateful 'for the first responders and for all those in law enforcement who worked so quickly, professionally and selflessly to safeguard others and to apprehend the shooter, starting with our own officers in Champlin and Brooklyn Park.' They added that they are 'heartbroken' by the killing of Melissa and Mark Hortman. Hope Hoffman went to school with their daughter, Sophie Hortman. 'We know that they – along with Colin Hortman - will have each other's support as we all work through the devastating consequences of that horrific night,' John and Yvette Hoffman said. A GoFundMe account benefiting the Hoffman family was set up by Fernbrook Elementary School. The family said it will help them 'pick up the broken pieces of our lives.' 'We are uplifted by the prayers and support from so many across the state of Minnesota and the country: thank you,' the family said. While they realize that working in the public sector means sacrificing a certain level of privacy, the Hoffmans said they are now 'grappling with the reality that we live in a world where public service carries such risks as being targeted because someone disagrees with you or doesn't like what you stand for.' 'As a society, as a nation, as a community, we must work together to return to a level of civility that allows us all to live peacefully,' the statement said. 'The future for our children depends on that. We will be praying for that work and appreciate all those who will join with us.'
CNN
17 hours ago
- Politics
- CNN
Minnesota lawmaker who survived shooting shares harrowing account of how the attack unfolded
Crime Gun violenceFacebookTweetLink Follow Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, shared details of the harrowing morning nearly a week ago when a man in a silicone mask who knocked on their door and identified himself as a police officer shot them repeatedly. In a statement released Thursday night and obtained by CNN affiliate KARE, the couple publicly describes for the first time the targeted shooting in their Champlin, Minnesota, home that left them critically injured. The night before the shooting, the Hoffmans had returned home from a dinner hosted by the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and went to bed, the statement said. But they were awakened around 2 a.m. Saturday by someone pounding on the front door and shouting, asking to enter and identifying himself as a police officer, the family recounted. When the door opened, the couple and their adult daughter, Hope, were standing in the entryway. When the shooter pointed a gun directly at John Hoffman, the senator lunged at the gunman, and he was shot nine times, according to the statement. 'As John fell, Yvette reached out to push the man and shut the door,' and 'she was also hit eight times by gunfire,' the statement said. That's when Hope Hoffman raced to shut the door and secure the lock. She then called 911, telling the operator the senator had been shot in his home, triggering 'the notice to public safety officials that a politically-motivated act was potentially underway,' the family said. Prosecutors say suspected gunman Vance Boelter visited the homes of at least four Minnesota lawmakers, attempting to kill the Hoffmans and fatally shooting state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman. After the shooting, both John and Yvette Hoffman underwent surgery, according to officials. John Hoffman 'is in critical but stable condition; Yvette Hoffman is in stable condition, as well,' the family statement said. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz told reporters at an event Thursday he expected Yvette Hoffman to be released from the hospital that day. No one by Yvette's name is currently at Mercy Hospital, where she had been treated after the shooting, a spokesperson with Allina Health told CNN. Earlier this week, Yvette Hoffman told US Sen. Amy Klobuchar in a text message that she and her husband were 'incredibly lucky to be alive,' Klobuchar shared on her social media. Yvette said at the time her husband had endured 'many surgeries' and is 'closer every hour to being out of the woods.' Boelter, 57, allegedly had a hit list of dozens of targets, which were largely Democrats or figures with ties to Planned Parenthood or the abortion rights movement, officials said. The search for Boelter lasted 43 hours and was the largest manhunt in Minnesota history. He faces six federal charges and four state charges. The Hoffman family said in their statement they are deeply grateful 'for the first responders and for all those in law enforcement who worked so quickly, professionally and selflessly to safeguard others and to apprehend the shooter, starting with our own officers in Champlin and Brooklyn Park.' They added that they are 'heartbroken' by the killing of Melissa and Mark Hortman. Hope Hoffman went to school with their daughter, Sophie Hortman. 'We know that they – along with Colin Hortman - will have each other's support as we all work through the devastating consequences of that horrific night,' John and Yvette Hoffman said. A GoFundMe account benefiting the Hoffman family was set up by Fernbrook Elementary School. The family said it will help them 'pick up the broken pieces of our lives.' 'We are uplifted by the prayers and support from so many across the state of Minnesota and the country: thank you,' the family said. While they realize that working in the public sector means sacrificing a certain level of privacy, the Hoffmans said they are now 'grappling with the reality that we live in a world where public service carries such risks as being targeted because someone disagrees with you or doesn't like what you stand for.' 'As a society, as a nation, as a community, we must work together to return to a level of civility that allows us all to live peacefully,' the statement said. 'The future for our children depends on that. We will be praying for that work and appreciate all those who will join with us.'
