Manhunt on for suspect in killing of Minnesota House DFL leader Hortman
Vance Boelter, 57, is on the run and considered armed and dangerous, officials say
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were fatally shot early Saturday at their home in Brooklyn Park by a man impersonating a police officer in what Gov. Tim Walz said “appears to be a politically motivated assassination.”
Hortman was the top Democrat in the Minnesota House and a former House speaker. Walz said another DFLer, state Sen. John Hoffman, and his wife Yvette were also shot and wounded at their home in Champlin.
Officials named 57-year-old Vance Boelter of Green Isle, Minn., as a suspect in the shootings and asked for the public’s help finding him. Boelter remains at large and considered armed and dangerous; people should call 911 if they see him, said Drew Evans, head of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Evans declined to speak about a motive and said authorities still don’t know if others are involved but they want to speak with anyone who may have had contact with Boelter.
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
He confirmed that a police presence near Green Isle, southwest of the Twin Cities, was connected to the investigation. The Minneapolis police also said a home on Fremont Avenue North was searched in connection with the search for Boelter, who had rented a room there.
The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to Boelter’s capture. Officials said he was seen in business surveillance video Saturday wearing a light-colored cowboy hat, dark-colored, long-sleeved, collared shirt or jacket, light pants and dark bag.
A ‘manifesto’ and a list of targets
Officials said police responded to a call at about 2 a.m. Saturday to the Hoffmans’ home in Champlin where they discovered Hoffman and his wife shot.
A Brooklyn Park police sergeant requested a check on the Hortmans’ home at about 3:30 a.m., said Brooklyn Park police Chief Mark Bruley.
When the two officers arrived at Hortman’s house, “they noticed that there was a police vehicle in the driveway with the emergency lights on, and what appeared to be a police officer at the door coming out of the house,” Bruley said. “When our officers confronted him, the individual immediately fired upon the officers, who exchanged gunfire, and the suspect retreated back into the home.”
The suspect, later identified as Boelter, fled out the back of the house, eluding officers who rendered first-aid to the Hortmans.
Bruley said the suspect was wearing a vest with a Taser and a “badge similar to mine. There’s no question that if they were in this room you’d assume that they were a police officer.” He said the ruse was used to gain entrance to the house.
A “manifesto” was found in the vehicle the suspect left behind, he added.
Evans said investigators also found a “list of individuals” that were “targeted.”
He didn’t elaborate on the names or possible motivation, but Minnesota Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson said “there is increased security in place for elected officials and others who may be at risk.”
The Minnesota State Patrol later urged people not to attend “No Kings” demonstrations Saturday and posted a photo of the inside of the suspect’s car containing leaflets that read “No Kings.”
‘Lost a great leader’
“Our state lost a great leader, and I lost the dearest of friends,” Walz said of Melissa Hortman. “Speaker Hortman was someone who served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, humor and a sense of service.”
The Hoffmans were out of surgery and in stable condition as of Saturday morning, according to their nephew Mat Ollig.
Ollig confirmed what he wrote in a Facebook post, that the Hoffmans’ daughter was home at the time of the shooting but was uninjured.
As of 9:25 p.m., Yvette was awake and alert, Ollig told MPR News. The family is awaiting an update about John’s condition.
He described the couple as “true civil servants” dedicated to working across the aisle and helping others. “They just give everything they can to help other people, and that's what makes this even more shocking,” he said. “They're not hyperpartisan. I'm still in shock that this could happen to such nice people in such a nice state.”
Walz vowed that “those responsible for this will be held accountable.” A source close to the governor said Walz spoke with Vice President JD Vance about the targeted attacks in Minnesota and that Walz expressed appreciation for the ongoing coordination between federal law enforcement and Minnesota public safety officials.
Hortman, 55, was first elected to the state House in 2004, and served as House DFL leader. She previously served as House speaker.
Hoffman, 60, was first elected to the state Senate in 2012, and serves as chair of the Senate’s Human Services Committee.
Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this story included an incorrect account of the shooting at the Hoffman residence. A statement issued by the family on June 20, 2025, clarified that Hope Hoffman closed and locked the door to the home and called 911.
