Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed at their Brooklyn Park home on June 14, 2025, in a pair of shootings that also wounded State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. Governor Tim Walz described the attacks as targeted political violence.
The first shooting occurred at the Hoffmans' home in Champlin at about 2 a.m. Both were shot multiple times and underwent surgery. Officials said later that day they were cautiously optimistic the couple would survive. Officers then went to check on Hortman, whose home was several miles away.
At about 3:35 a.m., police arriving at the Brooklyn Park residence encountered a person dressed to resemble an officer. Authorities said he wore a vest and badge and carried equipment including a Taser. Gunfire was exchanged with police, and the suspect escaped on foot. Officers found Hortman, a former Minnesota House speaker, and her husband fatally wounded inside.
Investigators identified 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter as the suspect and launched a large manhunt. Authorities warned that he should be considered armed and dangerous. A vehicle made to look like a police car, including emergency lights, was found at the Hortman property. Investigators recovered a list of possible targets from it.
Law-enforcement sources told ABC News that the list included Minnesota Democratic officeholders and people involved in abortion services or abortion-rights advocacy. Authorities had not announced a definitive motive on the event date, however, and were still examining whether the suspect knew the victims. Although Boelter and Hoffman had both served on a state workforce development board, that shared service did not establish a reason for the attacks.
Because the assailant allegedly impersonated law enforcement, officials initially told residents not to open their doors to a lone officer and advised them to call emergency dispatchers to verify an officer's identity. A shelter-in-place order in Brooklyn Park was later lifted after authorities said they had reason to believe the suspect had left the area.
The shootings prompted officials to provide protection resources to people named as possible targets. The FBI offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to Boelter's arrest and conviction, and hundreds of officers joined the search. Federal and state leaders condemned the violence, while security was arranged for people identified as possible targets.
The evidence available on June 14 established two deaths, two wounded survivors and a coordinated search for a named suspect. It did not establish a final motive, resolve whether anyone else participated or document an arrest. Those questions remained part of an active investigation as Minnesota mourned Hortman and her husband.
