OAN Staff Blake Wolf
2:34 PM – Monday, June 16, 2025
Vance Boelter, the suspected killer in the recent “politically motivated” shootings targeting Minnesota lawmakers, is now in custody following a manhunt.
Boelter was previously appointed to a state advisory board by failed Democrat vice presidential nominee/Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
Boelter is believed to be the man behind the murders of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband on Saturday.
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In addition, police are alleging that Boelter shot Minnesota state Senator John Hoffman and his wife, though only injuring them, in what Minnesota Governor Tim Walz classified as “an act of targeted political violence.”
After the traumatic incident, John and Yvette Hoffman expressed that they were “both incredibly lucky to be alive.”
The 57-year-old suspect was taken into custody after being located in the woods near his home in Green Isle, Minnesota, on Sunday night.
“The face of evil. After relentless and determined police work, the killer is now in custody,” the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a Facebook post, along with a photo of Boelter in custody. “Thanks to the dedication of multiple agencies working together along with support from the community, justice is one step closer.”
According to police, Boelter had dressed up as a police officer at around 2 a.m. on Saturday, traveling to the homes of Minnesota state lawmakers, where he attempted to fatally shoot them. The ensuing manhunt lasted over 36 hours.
The suspect had also modified his Ford SUV with police-style lights to further portray a police officer in an apparent attempt to deceive his victims.
“Boelter exploited the trust our uniforms are meant to represent,” stated Bob Jacobson, the commissioner of Minnesota’s Department of Public Safety. “That betrayal is deeply disturbing to those of us who wear the badge with honor and responsibility,” he added.
Police were dispatched to Hortman’s residence as a precautionary measure after responding to the shooting at Hoffman’s home and determining that the suspect had deliberately targeted a state lawmaker.
Upon arrival, at roughly 3:30 a.m., officers witnessed Boelter fatally shoot Melissa Hortman and her husband. Following the fatal shots, Boelter also began to exchange gunfire with officers, though he quickly fled on foot.
Inside Boelter’s vehicle, authorities were soon able to find “three AK-47 assault rifles, a 9mm handgun, a list of addresses of public officials, and “No Kings” papers” related to the anti-ICE and anti-Trump nationwide protests.
Boelter has since been charged with two counts of second-degree murder for purportedly killing both Melissa and Mark Hortman, along with two counts of attempted second-degree murder for the shooting of Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman.
Brooklyn Park Police Department Chief Mark Bruley noted that 20 SWAT teams were involved in the massive manhunt, later labeling the effort as the “largest manhunt in the state’s history.”
Additionally, Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) has since shared a message from Hoffman’s wife on Sunday, revealing that Senator Hoffman was shot nine times, and she was shot eight times.
“John is enduring many surgeries right now and is closer every hour to being out of the woods. He took 9 bullet hits. I took 8 and we are both incredibly lucky to be alive. We are gutted and devastated by the loss of Melissa and Mark. We have no words. There is never a place for this kind of political hate,” wrote Yvette Hoffman.
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