Hundreds of law officers fanned out across a Minneapolis suburb Saturday in pursuit of a man who authorities say posed as a police officer and fatally shot a Democratic state lawmaker in her home in what Gov. Tim Walz called “a politically motivated assassination.” Authorities say the same suspect also shot and wounded a second lawmaker and his spouse.
Democratic former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed in their Brooklyn Park home. Sen. John Hoffman, also a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, were injured at their Champlin address, about nine miles away.
The early morning attacks targeting lawmakers in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis prompted warnings to other elected officials around the state and the cancellation of planned “No Kings” demonstrations against President Donald Trump. Authorities say the suspect had “No Kings” flyers in his car and writings mentioning the names of the victims as well as other lawmakers and officials, though they could not say if he had any other specific targets.
The shootings happened at a time when political leaders nationwide have been attacked, harassed, and intimidated during a period of deep political divisions.
“We must all, in Minnesota and across the country, stand against all forms of political violence,” Governor Walz, a Democrat, said at a news conference. “Those responsible for this will be held accountable.”
Two people familiar with the matter identified the suspect as Vance Boelter, but they could not publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity. Mr. Boelter is a former political appointee who served on the same state workforce development board as Senator Hoffman, according to state records, although it was unclear if or how well they knew each other.
Law enforcement has recovered several AK-style firearms from the suspect’s vehicle, and he’s believed to still be armed with a pistol, one of the people familiar with the matter told the AP.
An overnight shooting
Police responded to reports of gunfire at the Hoffmans’ home shortly after 2 a.m., Champlin police said, and found the lawmaker and his wife with multiple gunshot wounds.
After seeing who the victims were, police sent officers to check on Representative Hortman’s home, where they encountered what appeared to be a police vehicle and a man dressed as an officer at the door, leaving the house.
“When officers confronted him, the individual immediately fired upon the officers who exchanged gunfire, and the suspect retreated back into the home” and escaped, Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said.
Multiple bullet holes could be seen in the front door of the Hoffmans’ home.
President Donald Trump stated in a White House statement that the FBI would join the investigation.
“Our Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and the FBI are investigating the situation, and they will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law. Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America.”
Two Democratic lawmakers targeted
Ms. Hortman had been the top Democratic leader in the state House since 2017. She led House Democrats in a three-week walkout at the beginning of this year’s session in a power struggle with Republicans. Under a power-sharing agreement, she handed the gavel to the top Republican, Rep. Lisa Demuth, and assumed the title of Speaker Emerita.
Governor Walz described her as a “formidable public servant, a fixture and a giant in Minnesota every day, determined to make this state a better place.”
“She is irreplaceable,” he said.
Ms. Hortman and her husband had two adult children.
Senator Hoffman, 60, was first elected in 2012 and played a key role as chair of the Senate Human Services Committee, which oversees one of the biggest parts of the state budget. He and his wife have one daughter.
State Patrol Col. Christina Bogojevic asked people “out of an abundance of caution” not to attend any of the “No Kings” protests that were scheduled across the state on Saturday. Colonel Bogojevic said authorities didn’t have any direct evidence that the protests would be targeted, but she said the suspect had some “No Kings” flyers in his car. Organizers announced that all protests across the state have been canceled.
The suspect
Mr. Boelter was appointed to the workforce development board by then-Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton in 2016 and subsequently reappointed in 2019 by the current governor to a four-year term that expired in 2023, according to state records.
State corporate records show Mr. Boelter’s wife had filed to create a company called Praetorian Guard Security Services LLC with the same Green Isle mailing address listed for the couple. On the business’s website, Mr. Boelter’s wife is listed as the president and CEO, while he is listed as the director of security patrols.
The company’s homepage states that it provides armed security for properties and events, featuring a photo of an SUV painted in a two-tone black and silver pattern similar to a police vehicle, with a light bar across the roof and “Praetorian” painted across the doors. Another photo shows a man in black tactical gear, wearing a military-style helmet and a ballistic vest with the company’s name emblazoned across the front.
An online resume indicates that he is a security contractor who has worked overseas in the Middle East and Africa, in addition to holding past managerial roles at companies in Minnesota.
Massive search effort underway
Hours after the shootings, hundreds of police and sheriff deputies from departments in the region, some in tactical gear with assault-style weapons, were scattered through the town.
An alert sent to people’s cellphones asked residents to continue sheltering in place as police were still looking for a suspect “who is armed and dangerous.”
“Suspect is white male, brown hair, wearing black body armor over blue shirt and blue pants, and may misrepresent himself as law enforcement. Do not approach. Call 911,” the alert said.
Some roadblocks had been set up, where authorities stopped and checked vehicles.
“This is crazy, someone going after representatives. This is wrong. I’m hoping they’ll catch them,” said Brooklyn Park resident Douglas Thompson, adding he wasn’t worried and believed authorities would catch the suspect.
Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, a Republican from Cold Spring, said she was “heartbroken beyond words” by the killings of Hortman and her husband, Mark.
“With the law enforcement response ongoing and details still emerging, I will simply ask all Minnesotans to please lift up in prayer the victims of this horrific attack, as well as the law enforcement personnel still working to apprehend the perpetrator,” Speaker Demuth said in a statement.
Political Violence
The shootings are the latest in a series of violent attacks against lawmakers across parties in recent years.
In April, a suspect set fire to the home of Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, forcing him and his family to flee the building during the Jewish holiday of Passover. The suspect told law enforcement that he planned to beat Governor Shapiro with a small sledgehammer if he found him, according to court documents.
In July 2024, then-candidate Donald Trump, a Republican, was grazed on the ear by one of a hail of bullets that killed a Trump supporter. Two months later, a man with a rifle was discovered in some shrubbery near the president’s golf course in Florida and arrested by Secret Service agents.
Other high-profile attacks in recent years have included a 2022 hammer attack on the husband of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi inside their San Francisco home, and a 2020 plot by anti-government extremists to kidnap Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at her vacation home and start a civil war.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said Saturday that he has asked Capitol Police to “immediately increase security” for Minnesota Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, both Democrats.
Senator Schumer said that he had also asked Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, to hold a briefing for senators on member security.
“Condemning violence is important, but it is not enough,” Mr. Schumer said in a post on X. “We must also confront the toxic forces radicalizing individuals, and we must do more to protect one another, our democracy, and the values that bind us as Americans.”
This article is by The Associated Press.
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