Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed, and state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were wounded in politically motivated shootings overnight, Gov. Tim Walz said Saturday. Authorities have also identified a suspect who is still at large.
Hortman, 55, and her husband Mark, 58, were shot in their Brooklyn Park home, while Hoffman, 60, and his wife Yvette were shot about 5 miles away in their Champlin home. Investigators say they believe the suspect was dressed in a manner to appear like a police officer.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office says the Hortmans each died from multiple gunshot wounds. Rep. Hortman was pronounced dead at the scene, while her husband died at North Memorial Health in Robbinsdale.
In a press conference on Saturday afternoon, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said Sen. Hoffman is out of surgery and stable, but described his injuries as very serious. His wife’s condition is unclear.
Minnesota State Legislature 
Hortman, who leaves behind two children, was a member of the Democratic Party who represented Minnesota House District 34B.
Hoffman, also a Democrat, represents Minnesota Senate District 34. Hoffman and his wife have one daughter.
At a Saturday morning press conference, Walz called the deaths of Hortman and her husband “a political assassination,” and has ordered flags to fly at half staff in their honor.
BCA identifies the suspect
Evans identified the suspect in the shootings as 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter. He was last seen Saturday morning in surveillance video captured by a Minneapolis business. Authorities have since canceled a shelter-in-place order for a three-mile radius around Brooklyn Park’s Edinburgh Golf Course.
MN BCA 
Boelter is described as a White man who stands 6 feet 1 inches tall, weighs about 220 lbs and has brown hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a light-colored cowboy hat; a dark-colored, long-sleeve collared shirt of coat; light pants and a dark bag. Authorities believe he switched clothing after the shootings.
Anyone with information on Boelter’s whereabouts is asked to call 911, the BCA’s tipline at 877-996-6222, or send an email to bca.tips@state.mn.us. Boelter is considered armed and dangerous. The FBI is also offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to his capture and conviction.
Evans believes Boelter is likely trying to get out of the area, and the TSA has been notified.
MN BCA 
Police account of the shootings
Evans says Champlin police first responded to Hoffman’s home at about 2 a.m., with Brooklyn Park police assisting. There, they found Hoffman and his wife each suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
A Brooklyn Park police sergeant is said to have proactively decided to check on lawmakers in their city. When officers arrived at the Hortmans’ home at about 3:35 a.m., Evans says they saw what appeared to be a police SUV with emergency lights on.
The suspect — then clad in a blue shirt with a black tactical vest underneath and blue pants — exited the Hortmans’ home and exchanged gunfire with officers before fleeing out the back door on foot.
A WCCO crew saw a vehicle believed to be Boelter’s, with white-and-yellow lights on top and a license plate that reads “police,” towed away from the Hortmans’ home. A number of things were also pulled out of the vehicle.
Authorities say there was an extensive list of possible targets among writings found inside the vehicle. More than 50 individuals were listed, including officials beyond Minnesota, abortion rights advocates and abortion facilities.
There were also fliers connected to the “No Kings” protests found inside. Organizers have since canceled events in Minnesota. WCCO reporter Jennifer Mayerle says hundreds were initially gathered in downtown St. Paul for the march, but the crowd has mostly dispersed outside the Capitol as of 4 p.m.
President Trump: “Such horrific violence will not be tolerated”
Several state and national leaders have released statements on Saturday following the shootings, including President Trump:
“I have been briefed on the terrible shooting that took place in Minnesota, which appears to be a targeted attack against State Lawmakers. Our Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and the FBI, are investigating the situation, and they will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law. Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!”
A source close to the governor’s office tells WCCO Walz spoke with Vice President Vance on Saturday about the shootings.
“The governor expressed appreciation for the ongoing coordination between federal law enforcement and Minnesota public safety officials,” the source said.
Sen. Klobuchar: “An attack on everything we stand for as a democracy”
Minnesota U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar released this statement Saturday morning:
“John and I are devastated and heartbroken by the horrific murders of Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, as well as the horrific attack on Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.
Melissa Hortman was a good friend and we started in politics at the same time and I still remember the two of us going door to door in her first legislative campaign. She was a true public servant to the core, dedicating her life to serving Minnesotans with integrity and compassion. As Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, she led efforts to protect women’s rights, invest in clean energy, and secure free school lunch for kids. She was beloved by her colleagues.
I want to thank the brave law enforcement officers who are working in real time to protect Minnesotans and ensure there is accountability for these horrific crimes.
Let me be absolutely clear: this was an act of targeted political violence, and it was an attack on everything we stand for as a democracy. We must all condemn it. And we must refuse to be a country where anyone is silenced by threats or violence.
To Melissa’s and Mark’s family, Melissa’s colleagues in the Minnesota Legislature, and everyone mourning across our state: I grieve with you. And I will honor their legacy not just in words, but through action — by protecting our democracy, by standing up to hate, and by continuing the work they so passionately believed in.”
Walz denounces political violence
The governor released this statement late Saturday morning regarding the shootings:
“Today Minnesota lost a great leader, and I lost a friend. A formidable public servant and a fixture of the state Capitol, Melissa Hortman woke up every day determined to make our state a better place. She served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, and tirelessness.
Minnesota’s thoughts are with her loved ones, and my prayers are with Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, who were shot and wounded and are being treated. We are not a country that settles our differences at gunpoint. We have demonstrated again and again in our state that it is possible to peacefully disagree, that our state is strengthened by civil public debate.
We must stand united against all forms of violence – and I call on everyone to join me in that commitment. To the responding officers, thank you for your bravery and your swift action. A state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigation is underway, and we will spare no resource in bringing those responsible to justice. We will not let fear win.”
Legislators were alerted of the shootings on Saturday morning, and those in the metro area were told to take extra safety precautions. The executive director of the Minnesota Sheriff’s Association, in a Facebook post, said that “an evil coward dressed as a protector, went to the homes of two Minnesota elected officials and shot them.”
CBS News confirms members of the ATF and U.S. Marshals Service are now deployed to help state officials in responding to the shootings.
This story will be updated.
Anna Schecter and
contributed to this report.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
