Federal authorities have charged Vance Luther Boelter, 57, of Green Isle, Minnesota, with the stalking and targeted murders of Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, as well as the attempted assassinations of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman.
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According to court documents, Boelter meticulously planned a violent assault on Minnesota’s democratic leadership. In the early hours of June 14, he armed himself with firearms, wore body armor, and disguised himself as a police officer before embarking on what officials have described as a “calculated political rampage.”
Boelter first approached the Hoffman residence in Champlin, posing as a law enforcement officer. When Senator Hoffman and his wife opened the door, Boelter opened fire. Both sustained multiple gunshot wounds. “He took nine bullet hits,” Yvette later shared in a statement. “I took eight — and we are both incredibly lucky to be alive.”
Boelter then proceeded to the Brooklyn Park home of Rep. Hortman. Officers responding to an alert from the earlier shooting arrived at the scene to find Boelter’s black Ford Explorer — outfitted with flashing police-style lights — parked outside. Before they could intervene, Boelter opened fire, fatally shooting both Melissa and Mark Hortman in what authorities have called an “execution-style” attack.
The double homicide triggered what has now been labeled the largest manhunt in Minnesota history. Over two days, hundreds of local, state, and federal law enforcement officers searched for Boelter. He was ultimately captured in a field near his home in Green Isle on the evening of June 15, armed and wearing tactical gear.
“This was a targeted attack against individuals who answered the call to public service,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. “It is not only unacceptable — it is an attack on the democratic values that define this nation.”
Authorities recovered five firearms from Boelter’s vehicle, including assault-style semi-automatic rifles, a cache of ammunition, and notebooks containing names and home addresses of at least 45 Minnesota state and federal officials — all believed to be Democrats.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson described the attack as “political assassinations the likes of which have never been seen in Minnesota.” He emphasized that Boelter’s actions were “an attack on our state and on our democracy.”
Boelter appeared in U.S. District Court today before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty. He faces both federal and state charges, including murder, attempted murder, and weapons violations. Additional federal terrorism-related charges are under review.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi vowed swift and severe justice: “These horrific acts of violence will not go unanswered. The Department of Justice will prosecute this suspect to the fullest extent of the law.”
Boelter is currently in federal custody.
The investigation is being led by the FBI, in collaboration with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, ATF, Brooklyn Park Police, Minneapolis Police, and multiple local agencies. Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division are jointly handling the case.
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