Targeted for Public Service: Minnesota Leaders Caught in Deadly Plot

“This is a robbery.”

That was the last sentence Senator Hoffman of Minnesota and his wife heard from a man at their doorstep before gunfire rang out, according to a newly released federal affidavit. It had been the first shooting in a string of attempted assassinations against lawmakers across Minnesota. The suspect had impersonated a police officer minutes before shots rang out, shouting, “This is the police. Open the door.” The suspect had been wearing a black tactile vest when the Hoffmans realized that the man at their door was wearing a mask and was therefore not a police officer. However, their efforts to get away from the suspect had failed, as the suspect shot Mr. and Mrs. Hoffman repeatedly. Senator Hoffman's daughter then called 911. Thankfully, they had survived, but nobody knew what was to come.

In a police-style vehicle, the suspect then drove to the home of another Minnesota representative. After the suspect rang the doorbell multiple times and shouted that a police officer was at the door, it became known that the official and her family were not home. Therefore, the suspect left the house. Later, an officer had spotted the suspect down the road from yet another Minnesota representative's home. When the officer tried to speak with the suspect, he stared straight ahead and was unresponsive. The suspect then left the area.

After local law enforcement had heard of the shooting at Senator Hoffman's home, they traveled to the home of Melissa Hortman, the Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives. Upon arriving, law enforcement saw the police-style vehicle with a fake police license plate. Additionally, they saw the same suspect standing near the front door. Two sets of gunfire then followed as the suspect moved forward. He then fled the scene. When the officers entered the home, they found Speaker Hortman and her husband shot inside the home. Additionally, their family dog had been gravely injured. Speaker Hortman and her husband would later pass away from their injuries.

When officers searched the vehicle, they found evidence tying Vance Boelter to the SUV and several notebooks full of hand-written notes. These notebooks contained the names of more than 45 Minnesota state and federal public officials, including Speaker Hortman. Additionally, they contained lists of internet-based people search engines that aggregate home addresses and phone numbers for users of the websites. Law enforcement also found a website in the notebooks that advertised a mask similar to the one Boelter wore. In addition to the notebooks, law enforcement also found five firearms in the SUV. In the same area, law enforcement found a flashlight, a tactical body armor vest, and a mask. The suspect was later spotted in a field after 43 hours of searching and was then taken into custody.

Later, it was revealed by ABC News that those on Boelter's target list included Governor Tim Walz, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, and state Attorney General Keith Ellison. Most of those on the list were Democrats. Furthermore, abortion providers and pro-choice activists were listed as targets as well. Authorities also found flyers inside Boelter's car that said "No Kings" on them. The No Kings protest was happening across the country on the day that the shooting occurred so the Minnesota State Patrol later asked that the public not attend the protests. However, the Minnesota protests would later go on without incident.

The suspect, Vance Boelter, was appointed to the Minnesota Governor's Workforce Development Board by the former Democratic governor of Minnesota. Governor Tim Walz would reappoint him later. He had served on the largely nonpartisan board with State Senator John Hoffman, one of the victims who survived the shooting. This caused many Republicans to blame Democrats for the shooting, including Senator Mike Lee who seemed to shift blame toward Governor Waltz when he posted on X, "Nightmare on Waltz street," alongside an image of the shooter.

Later, it was revealed that Boelter preached at a church in central Africa. In a sermon, it appeared as if Boelter criticized gay and transgender people. Additionally, Boelter's roommate would later go on to say that he voted for President Trump in the 2024 election.

Of course, when an act of political violence like this occurs, the victim should always be remembered. Speaker Hortman tried to reach across both sides of the aisle to work in a bipartisan fashion. Governor Walz would go on to describe Hortman as "the most consequential Speaker in [Minnesota's] history." On June 18th, hundreds gathered at the Minnesota state capitol to remember Speaker Hortman and her husband. The crowd sang "Amazing Grace" and the memorial, which sprang up outside the Capitol, included flowers alongside American flags. A blanket laid out on the ground allowed attendees to write messages. One written message said: "Melissa was a true model of humility. She didn't do this work to boost her own ego, further her political career or garner fame and glory. She did it to improve people's lives."