Share and Follow

UPDATE [2:10 P.M. EST]: Two law enforcement sources told the Associated Press that the suspected shooter is Vance Boelter, 57. Additional details about his identity or motive were not disclosed.

This is a developing story. Original coverage is below.


A shooter impersonating a police officer shot two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses in separate incidents early Saturday.

Fox 9 reports that Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were fatally shot at their home in Brooklyn Park.

In Champlin, state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were also shot and remain hospitalized. They are undergoing surgery. Gov. Tim Walz said he is “cautiously optimistic they will survive this assassination attempt.”

Walz called the shootings “an act of targeted political violence.”

Both victims are Democrats. Hoffman represents Senate District 34, and Hortman represented House District 34B, according to ABC News.

Around 5:30 a.m. Saturday, the Brooklyn Park Police Department issued a shelter-in-place order for a three-mile radius around Edinburgh Golf Course due to the shootings. Authorities are searching for a suspect described as a white man with brown hair who may be impersonating law enforcement. He was last seen wearing black body armor over a blue shirt and blue pants.

According to ABC News, police found Hoffman and his wife shot at about 2 a.m. in Champlin. Officers then conducted a welfare check at Hortman’s home a few miles away.

When officers arrived, they saw a person wearing a badge, Taser, and other law enforcement equipment exiting the residence. The suspect exchanged gunfire with officers and fled on foot, leaving behind a vehicle in Hortman’s driveway. The vehicle was outfitted with police lights and resembled a law enforcement vehicle.

Police said they recovered a list of potential targets that included “many lawmakers.”

Several political figures responded to the shootings.

Former President Donald Trump’s White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt, posted on social media, “Such horrific violence will not be tolerated.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement, “This horrific violence will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Sen. Amy Klobuchar offered prayers to the families and called the incident “a stunning act of violence.” She added, “I’m thankful for all the law enforcement who are responding in real time.”

Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chair Ken Martin praised Hoffman and Hortman’s public service and said, “Today, we recommit ourselves to fight harder for the values that Melissa and Mark embodied — building a kinder, more just, and loving world. If this murderer thinks we will be silenced, he’s wrong.”

During the ongoing manhunt, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office advised the public not to open their doors to a lone police officer. “Licensed officers are working in pairs,” the department said.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

[Feature Photo:Melissa Hortman and Sen. John HoffmanMinnesota House of Representatives | Minnesota Senate]

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

The FBI JOINS INVESTIGATION INTO KYRON HORMAN’S DISAPPEARANCE

  The FBI has joined the investigation into the disappearance of 7-year-old…

A man from Gainesville is given 10 years in jail and 15 years on probation for 29 child pornography offenses

Staff report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Alex Michael Sellers, 27, has been sentenced…

Gainesville resident accused of inappropriate touching of a minor

Staff report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Shawn Wesley Williams, 38, was arrested yesterday…

Manhunt Intensifies for Vance Boelter, Accused of Killing Minnesota Lawmakers

Authorities are searching for a man suspected in the shootings of two…

The wife of a state senator protected her daughter by using her own body as a shield

Left inset: Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette Hoffman (Facebook).…

Capture Made Possible by Serial Killer’s Letter to Reporter: Discloses “Many Hidden Blood in the Walls”

A serial killer wouldn’t live to tell where he discarded the bodies…

Oaklee Snow: Indiana Mother Sentenced After Police Find Tot Girl Dead in Dresser

The sentencing in the death of 1-year-old Oaklee Snow has been handed…

Intentional Fire Kills Pregnant Mother and Two Children

Insets: Ashley Thompson and her two children (GoFundMe). Background: Firefighters at the…