Latest news with #HopeHoffman
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Minnesota Lawmaker Wounded In Shooting Details Moments Leading Up To Brutal Attack
Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman, who was wounded after a gunman dressed as a police officer attacked him inside his home last week, on Thursday recalled the moments leading up to the shooting, calling on Americans to 'work together to return to a level of civility that allows us all to live peacefully.' Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, who are still recovering from the injuries they suffered in the shooting, said they returned home that evening accompanied by their adult daughter, Hope, after attending a dinner hosted by the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party on June 13. '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 Hoffmans said in a statement. When the door was opened, the three of them were standing in the entryway. The couple said the lawmaker lunged at the man as soon as he saw a gun pointed at him. John Hoffman was shot nine times, the family statement explains. 'As John fell, Yvette reached out to push the man and shut the door, succeeding before she was also hit eight times by gunfire,' it adds. Their daughter, Hope, then locked the door before calling 911 to alert authorities of her father's shooting. 'Her brave actions and quick thinking triggered the notice to public safety officials that a politically-motivated act was potentially underway,' her parents said. John Hoffman is in critical but stable condition, while his wife is in stable condition as well, the family said. After being informed of the shooting at the Hoffman residence, officers went to the nearby home of state Rep. Melissa Hortman (D) and her husband, Mark, as a precautionary measure. But upon their arrival, they saw the gunman shoot Mark Hortman and exchanged fire with the shooter before he fled. They later recovered the bodies of the couple. Gov. Tim Walz (D) described their killings as a 'politically motivated assassination.' Vance Boelter was arrested Sunday after a two-day manhunt and faces charges of murder and attempted murder. Joseph Thompson, the acting U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota, said Boelter stopped at 'no less than four' homes of Democratic state legislators June 14 before ultimately fleeing under police gunfire. Officers also recovered notebooks referencing at least 45 state and federal elected officials, including 'dozens and dozens' of Democrats as well as abortion providers, Thompson added. The Hoffmans said they were 'heartbroken' over the death of Hortman and her husband, while reflecting on the heightened level of risk public officials have to contend with. 'Choosing to work in the public sector, even in as limited a way as John's career as a senator, has always meant sacrificing a level of privacy,' they said. '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.' '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,' they added. For 36 Hours, Minnesota Abortion Clinics Feared A Shooter Could Be Coming For Them Murdered Lawmaker's Home Was Broken Into Minnesota Lawmaker's Dog Killed In Fatal Shooting Of State Representative, Husband Here's What We Know About The Minnesota Shooting Suspect's List Of Names Minnesota Assassination Suspect Stopped At 4 Democratic Politicians' Homes Man Suspected Of Shooting 2 Minnesota Lawmakers Caught, AP Sources Say
CNN
16 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.'
CBS News
21 hours ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Sen. John Hoffman's family releases statement detailing night of shooting
Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, released a new statement detailing the night they were both shot in their home over the weekend. "As we continue to receive medical care, we are deeply grateful for those providers, 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," the statement said. As of Thursday afternoon, Yvette Hoffman is out of the hospital while John Hoffman remains in serious but stable condition. Read the full statement: "Because we have been hospitalized and receiving medical care, we have not been able to provide much information regarding the horrible circumstances of June 14th, but would now like to provide a statement offering more clarity of what happened. "After having attended the Humphrey Mondale dinner on Friday, June 13th, we returned to our home, joined there by our adult daughter, Hope. 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. 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. Hope then rushed to shut the door and secured the lock; she got to the phone and shared with the 911 operator that Senator John Hoffman had been shot in his home. Her brave actions and quick thinking triggered the notice to public safety officials that a politically-motivated act was potentially underway. "As we continue to receive medical care, we are deeply grateful for those providers, for the f irst 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. We are heartbroken to know that our friends Melissa and Mark Hortman were assassinated. Our daughter Hope and Sophie Hortman went to school together, and 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. We want to thank all those at Fernbrook School behind the GoFundMe account - you will be helping us 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. "Choosing to work in the public sector, even in as limited a way as John's career as a senator, has always meant sacrificing a 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. 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." After learning of the shooting at the Hoffmans' home, the Brooklyn Park Police Department proactively sent patrol officers to the home of Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman. She and her husband, Mark Hortman, were shot and killed in what Gov. Tim Walz has called politically motivated shootings. A manhunt for the suspect, 57-year-old Vance Boelter, lasted for over 36 hours. He was taken into custody on Sunday night in Sibley County. He faces six federal charges and four state charges. Charges say he went to the homes of two other elected officials that same night. contributed to this report.
New York Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Suspect Planned to ‘Inflict Fear' With Wider Killing Spree, Prosecutors Say
Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota praised Hope Hoffman, the daughter of State Senator John A. Hoffman and his wife, saying her actions at the family home after a gunman wounded her parents were 'heroic' and saved countless lives. The suspected gunman, Vance Boelter, 57, was arrested on Sunday after a two-day manhunt, the largest in state history. Officials said the suspect entered the Hoffmans' home in suburban Minneapolis early Saturday by posing as a police officer. Hope Hoffman called 911, according to charging documents, prompting a law enforcement alert that led officers to also check the home of State Representative Melissa Hortman nearby. On arrival at the Hortmans' house, officers exchanged gunfire with the gunman before he escaped. Ms. Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed in that attack. 'I'd like to say on behalf of the state of Minnesota, the heroic actions by the Hoffman family and their daughter, Hope, saved countless lives, and we are grateful,' Mr. Tim Walz said at a news conference late Sunday to announce the arrest of Mr. Boelter. Mr. Walz did not elaborate on the Hoffmans' actions. The couple's nephew, Mat Ollig, wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday that has since been deleted that Mr. Hoffman's wife, Yvette, 'threw herself onto her daughter, using her body as a shield to save her life.' Drew Evans, the head of the state's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said investigators had talked with the Hoffmans on Sunday but provided no new details about the events at their home. Mr. Boelter, who was charged late Sunday evening with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder, possessed a notebook that mentioned about 70 potential targets, including politicians, civic and business leaders, as well as Planned Parenthood centers, according to law enforcement officials. If the officers had not proactively gone to the Hortman home after being alerted to the shooting at the Hoffmans' house, 'I have every confidence that this would have continued throughout the day,' said Mr. Evans. Julie Blaha, a former teacher who is the state auditor of Minnesota, told The Times over the weekend that she had taught seventh-grade math to Hope, who was born with spina bifida, a congenital condition affecting the spine that can cause a range of complications. Ms. Blaha noted that Ms. Hoffman and her husband tried to ensure that their daughter had what she needed to succeed during her childhood. Hope, now an adult, has been an advocate for people with disabilities, Ms. Blaha said. On Sunday, Mr. Walz said that Mr. Hoffman had come out of his final surgery and 'was moving toward recovery.' He said that his wife, Yvette, was 'healing.' Mr. Hoffman was shot nine times and Ms. Hoffman was shot eight times, according to a social media post Sunday by Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who said she received an encouraging update from the family. The Hoffman family issued a statement just before midnight local time Sunday, expressing gratitude to law enforcement and the public. 'John and I are both incredibly lucky to be alive. We continue our healing journey and are humbled by the outpouring of love and support our family has received from across the state and our nation,' the statement said. 'There is never a place for senseless political violence and loss of life. We are devastated by the loss of Melissa and Mark, and our hearts go out to all those who knew and loved them both. We are always at our best when we unite together.'
