On June 14, 2025, Minnesota was rocked by the targeted killings of Democratic state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, alongside the shooting of Democratic state Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. The suspect, Vance Luther Boelter, a former appointee of Democratic Governor Tim Walz, remains at large.
Targeted Violence
Melissa Hortman, 55, a prominent Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) leader and former Minnesota House Speaker (2019–2025), was fatally shot alongside her husband, Mark, a Raleigh native and UNC graduate, at their Brooklyn Park home. Hours earlier, Senator John Hoffman, 59, and his wife, Yvette, were shot at their Champlin residence, approximately nine miles away. Both Hoffman and his wife survived and are in stable condition following surgeries. The suspect, Vance Luther Boelter, 57, allegedly disguised himself as a police officer, exploiting public trust to carry out the attacks. Authorities describe the shootings as “targeted political violence,” with Boelter leaving behind a manifesto and a hit list naming dozens of Minnesota Democrats, including all Democratic members of the state’s congressional delegation.
Suspect Profile
Vance Luther Boelter, identified as the prime suspect, was a Democratic insider with deep ties to Minnesota’s political establishment. Appointed by Governor Tim Walz in 2019 to the Governor’s Workforce Development Board, Boelter served until 2023 and previously worked under Governor Mark Dayton. He is reportedly the CEO of Red Lion Group, a company based in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to his LinkedIn profile. Police recovered “No Kings” protest flyers in Boelter’s abandoned SUV, suggesting a radicalized motive. Hortman’s recent vote to repeal healthcare eligibility for undocumented adults under MinnesotaCare, which broke with her party, may have triggered Boelter’s murder spree.
The Motive
Minnesota’s political landscape is deeply divided, with the state House evenly split between Republicans and Democrats before Hortman’s death. Democrats hold a one-vote majority in the state Senate. Hortman, a lawyer and 20-year legislator, was a key figure in passing DFL priorities like universal school meals, abortion rights protections, and environmental reforms in 2023. Her controversial vote on June 10, 2025, siding with Republicans to limit MinnesotaCare access for undocumented adults, sparked backlash from progressive Democrats, suggesting Boelter, a party loyalist, targeted Hortman for deviating from the socialist agenda.
Investigation Status
A massive manhunt involving local police, sheriff’s deputies, and the FBI is underway for Boelter, with searches expanding to South Dakota. Authorities found a latex mask used in the shootings, confirming Boelter’s impersonation of a police officer. The manifesto and hit list recovered from his vehicle indicate a broader plan targeting Democrats who support liberal causes like abortion rights.
No arrests have been made as of June 15, 2025.
