Latest news with #MelissaHortman
Fox News
an hour 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
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sen. John Hoffman, wife say daughter alerted police to politically motivated shootings
Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, released a statement Thursday evening on the shooting last Saturday at their Champlin home that left them critically injured and hospitalized. According to the statement, John Hoffman is in 'critical but stable condition' and Yvette Hoffman is in 'stable condition.' Vance Boelter, 57, is accused of fatally shooting former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home early Saturday in Brooklyn Park. Before that, authorities say, he also shot and wounded the Hoffmans, who live a few miles away. Boelter surrendered Sunday night after what authorities have called the largest manhunt in the state's history. Hundreds attended a candlelight vigil at the state Capitol on Wednesday night for the Hortmans. '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,' reads the statement. '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.' The couple said that their daughter Hope's 'brave actions and quick thinking triggered the notice to public safety officials that a politically-motivated act was potentially underway.' In the statement, the couple also expressed gratitude to medical providers, first responders and 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.' In closing, they mention the threats to those in public service. '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.' Lobbyist in custody for 'threat of violence' at Minnesota Capitol UMN hikes tuition 6.5%, makes program cuts at all campuses Julian Scadden: Recent grads can build their futures in the trades Maple Grove lawmaker confirms gunman visited her home Letters: Republicans want to deceive the public when it comes to Medicaid
CBS News
9 hours ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Gov. Tim Walz says Legislature should reconsider guns at Capitol complex in wake of lawmaker shootings
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Thursday the Legislature should reconsider allowing people to carry firearms inside the State Capitol in wake of the shootings of two lawmakers and their spouses inside their homes over the weekend. State law allows handguns at the Capitol so long as someone has a permit to carry. But any state court can limit firearms within its own buildings, and that includes the Minnesota Judicial Center, where the Minnesota Supreme Court has proceedings on the Capitol complex. "I think there's going to be a conversation, and this will be a broader one, in the legislature and with us of what we can do to provide that kind of security," Walz told reporters Thursday. "I think the conversation will come up at the Capitol. I made no bones about it that I think it's inappropriate that we carry firearms in the Capitol, and I think we have to reassess that." The shooting of DFL Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, and the killing of DFL Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, which officials described as a politically motivated assassination, has upended lawmakers' sense of safety. Authorities said the accused killer had a hit list that included the names of 45 state and federal elected officials who are Democrats. Walz's comments came after there was a "threat of violence" to the Capitol building on Wednesday, according to a statement Thursday from the House Republican Caucus spokeswoman. GOP Rep. Jim Nash notified law enforcement and the House Sergeant at Arms of a text message a constituent received that was "threatening in nature," according to the news release. The person who allegedly sent it was arrested and is in Carver County Jail. "The threat was not aimed at any particular lawmaker but the message did include a threat of violence at the Capitol," the statement said. Prohibiting guns at the State Capitol would require the Legislature's approval, which is unlikely in the tied House and DFL-led Senate. Rob Doar, senior vice president of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, in a social media post said that doing so won't prevent bad actors from committing violence. "It only disarms the very people with the strongest incentive to protect life: themselves and their colleagues," he wrote. "Security theater isn't security. Constitutional rights don't vanish at the Capitol steps." The tragedy has renewed a debate about security at the capitol complex more broadly. Right now there is no single point of entry or security screening to enter the capitol building, and some believe that should change. Others are adamant the building should remain as accessible to the public as Advisory Committee on Capitol Area Security in its recent report said there has been $19 million allocated for security upgrades at the complex over the last five years. Part of their mission statement is that the "Capitol, Minnesota Senate, and State Office Buildings must remain open in both reality and perception."
CBS News
10 hours ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Man arrested after sending text including "threat of violence at the Capitol," Minnesota House GOP says
Safety at top of mind at Minnesota Capitol after lawmaker shootings Safety at top of mind at Minnesota Capitol after lawmaker shootings Safety at top of mind at Minnesota Capitol after lawmaker shootings A man is in jail Thursday after the Minnesota House GOP says he threatened violence at the Minnesota State Capitol, just days after Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were shot and killed. A statement from House Republican staff says a legislator notified law enforcement on Wednesday of a "personal text message" received by a constituent that was threatening in nature. "The threat was not aimed at any particular lawmaker but the message did include a threat of violence at the Capitol," the Minnesota House GOP said. The man was questioned, arrested and is being held at Carver County Jail pending an appearance in court. State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, both survived being shot multiple times inside their Champlin home. The couple is still recovering in the hospital. Vance Boelter is facing both federal and state charges in the shootings, including stalking and murder. He was taken into custody Sunday night near his Sibley County home following a manhunt that lasted over 36 hours. This is a developing story and will be updated. contributed to this report.
CBS News
10 hours ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Service dog training organization flooded with donations following fatal shooting of Rep. Melissa Hortman
Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, who were killed Saturday morning in what Gov. Tim Walz called a politically motivated attack, trained service dogs in their spare time with a working group called Helping Paws. The Hortmans ended up keeping the last dog they trained, Gilbert, after he flunked out because he was too friendly. Gilbert was shot multiple times by the man who is accused of killing the Hortmans. He was injured so severely that the Hortmans' adult children had to put him to sleep. Rep. Melissa Hortman with a golden retriever. Helping Paws, Inc. Gilbert and the Hortmans' story has nearly 400,000 likes on the "We Rate Dogs" Instagram, and Helping Paws has been flooded with unsolicited donations. The organization reached out to the family and got a call back from the Hortman's adult children Sophie and Collin. "They gave us their blessing, and they said, This is what our mom would want, if something good to come out of this. And we love your organization so much, and Gilbert was such a big part of all of our lives for four years. And my mom would bless this. Our mom would bless this," said the Executive Director of Helping Paws Alyssa Golob. At a candlelight vigil for the Hortmans, Helping Paws dogs were out in full force. "A woman came up and said, 'You know, I made a donation to your organization,' and she's like, 'I just needed to put my rage somewhere'," said Golob. Golob says the organization usually gets 50-100 contributions a month. Since the tragedy they have gotten 5,700 individual donations in just days — so many they have not yet totaled the dollar amount. Helping Paws says it wants to work with the family to set up an appropriate memorial to Gilbert and the Hortmans.
