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MN Dem Assassin Suspect's Story Continues to Get Crazier

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  June 16, 2025 3:15 PM

It’s a story that’s Tre ‘bizarre but also horrifying. The Minnesota Democrat assassin has been captured; he was spotted via trail cam and apprehended shortly thereafter. It ends a two-day manhunt for Vance Boelter, who was suspect in the shootings of two Democratic state lawmakers: State Sen. John Hoffman and State Rep. Melissa Hortman and their spouses. Hoffman and his wife survived the attack, but Hortman and her husband were killed. Boelter dressed as a police officer. 

Today, the Justice Department confirmed what we already knew: that this was a targeted political assassination. We also learned that he visited the homes of two other lawmakers the night he shot and killed the Hortmans. Police encountered Boelter inside his fake cop car outside the home of a state lawmaker who was away on vacation. Boelter planned this attack for an extensive period (via CBS News): 

The FBI revealed during a separate conference Monday morning that Boelter had gone to the homes of two other Minnesota lawmakers the night he killed Hortman and her husband and injured the Hoffmans.  

After the shooting at the Hoffmans' home, Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson says Boelter went to a state representative's home in Maple Grove. However, that lawmaker had been on vacation and was not home at the time.  

Boelter then allegedly moved on to the home of a state senator in New Hope. After learning about the shooting of the Hoffmans in Champlin, a New Hope police officer went to the senator's home to do a wellness check. The officer arrived to find what appeared to be another officer's squad car, later identified as Boelter's vehicle, parked outside the home. The officer tried to engage in conversation with Boelter, but he did not respond. By the time more officers arrived, Boelter was gone. 

The FBI did not identify either of the two other lawmakers whose homes Boelter allegedly targeted.  

Thompson says Boelter then went to the Hortmans' home in Brooklyn Park. Upon arrival, police officers saw Boelter several feet from the door. He instantly drew his weapon and began firing at the officers before he rushed inside the house, firing at the front door. He then shot and killed the Hortmans. 

Federal investigators allege Boelter stalked his targets and planned his attacks carefully, researching the victims and their families as well as conducting surveillance on them "for an extensive period of time."  

"This was a political assassination," Thompson said Monday. 

Boelter is facing state charges of two counts of second-degree murder which seems to be a little light considering the new details. These attacks were premeditated.  

How Boelter entered the Hoffman’s home was harrowing. Based on the DOJ press release, the Hoffmans opened the door since they thought he was a police officer but knew immediately something was wrong when they saw he was wearing a latex mask. They tried to close the door, but he opened fire, striking them both. At the Hortman residence, Boelter was approached by police, doing a wellness check after the Hoffman shooting was reported. Officers found Boetler standing at the front door, which led to him opening fire into the house, striking Hortman’s husband, Mark. He later forced his way in, firing more shots, which struck State Rep. Melissa Hortman. Multiple weapons, ammunition, and several handbooks were found, along with kill lists that had the names of at least 60 people on them. Was there a manifesto? Well, that's now in doubt. 

According to court documents, in the early morning hours of June 14, 2025, Vance Luther Boelter put into effect a calculated plan to inflict fear and violence upon Minnesota elected officials and their families. Boelter equipped himself with firearms and body armor, disguised himself as a law enforcement officer, and drove to the home of Senator Hoffman. Boelter knocked on the door repeatedly, claiming to be a police officer. Shortly after the Hoffmans opened the door, they were alarmed to realize Boelter was wearing a facemask. The Hoffmans tried to close the door on Boelter, but Boelter repeatedly shot both Senator and Mrs. Hoffman. 

“The horrific, targeted murders of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman, as well as the shooting of Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette Hoffman, have shocked the nation and united us in grief,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “These horrific acts of violence will not go unanswered: the Department of Justice will prosecute this suspect to the fullest extent of the law and if convicted deliver severe consequences for his alleged crimes.” 

“According to the charges, the defendant had a list of possible targets and went to the homes of public officials to conduct violent attacks,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “This type of violence is unacceptable, and the FBI stands united with our law enforcement partners to find and hold accountable anyone who commits such despicable acts. I commend all the law enforcement officers who worked throughout the weekend to find the defendant and take him into custody.” 

“Vance Luthor Boelter went on a violent rampage against our elected officials,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson for the District of Minnesota. “These were targeted political assassinations the likes of which have never been seen in Minnesota. It was an attack on our state and on our democracy. We will not rest until he is brought to justice.”   

“This was a horrific act of targeted violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of the FBI Minneapolis Field Office. “A gunman, impersonating a police officer, deliberately lured public servants to their own doorstep and opened fire. A Minnesota lawmaker and her spouse were murdered in cold blood, and others wounded, simply for serving as elected officials. This is not only unacceptable — it is an attack on the democratic values that define this nation. This marked the largest manhunt in Minnesota’s history, and it would not have been possible without the extraordinary partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The tireless coordination and commitment ensured Boelter was located and taken into custody without further incident. The FBI remains steadfast in our pursuit of justice. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the communities they served.” 

“The deliberate targeting of elected officials and their families is an appalling act of political violence that has no place in our country,” said Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) St. Paul Field Division. “We extend our deepest condolences to the victims, their families, and all those affected by this tragedy. In response, ATF brought forward key investigative resources, including firearms tracing, NIBIN analysis, and a specially trained K-9 team, to help recover evidence and generate leads. Our agents contributed their full expertise and manpower to the search and continue to support the ongoing investigation. I’m proud of the role ATF has played and commend the extraordinary work of all law enforcement partners who came together to bring the suspect into custody.” 

Boelter then traveled to the homes of two other Minnesota elected officials, still disguised as a law enforcement officer. Boelter did not manage to make contact with either of those officials or their families. 

Next, Boelter drove to the home of Speaker Emerita and Representative Melissa Hortman. Meanwhile, local law enforcement, having heard of the shooting at the Hoffman residence, drove to the Hortman household to conduct a safety check. Upon arriving, officers saw Boelter’s car, a black Ford Explorer SUV designed to look like a law enforcement vehicle. It was equipped with police-style lights that were on and flashing. Officers saw Boelter, standing several feet from and facing the front door of the Hortman home. Moments later, Boelter fired several gunshots into the home, repeatedly striking Mr. Hortman. As Boelter did so, he rushed into the home and fired several additional shots, repeatedly striking Representative Hortman. Officers provided medical aid to the Hortmans and attempted to pursue Boelter, who abandoned the SUV and fled, initially, on foot. Both Hortmans died from their wounds. 

Law enforcement searched Boelter’s SUV and recovered five firearms, including semi-automatic, assault-style rifles, a large quantity of ammunition, and several notebooks filled with handwritten notations. Those notes listed out the names of dozens of Minnesota state and federal elected officials. The notes often identified those officials’ home addresses. 

Boelter was supposedly working for this Red Lion Group, which may be fake. The details about this operation are scarce, but it reportedly did work in Africa and the Middle East. Later, he and his wife ran a private security firm, Praetorian Guard Security Services, though that is likely a fake business since we don’t know if they had any clients. He served as director of patrols; his wife, Jennifer, was its president or CEO. Jennifer was detained at a traffic stop in Onamia, Minnesota, where a firearm, ammunition, passports, and cash were found in her car. 

Mr. Boelter was twice appointed to state development boards as a private sector representative, the latest by Gov. Tim Walz.  

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It’s just a wild and sad story.