Vance Luther Boelter, a 57-year-old security contractor, was arrested Sunday night, June 15, following what officials called the largest manhunt in Minnesota history after allegedly shooting four people at two Democratic lawmakers’ homes on June 14, 2025.
The attacks left state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark dead, while state Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette survived despite being shot 17 times between them.
The violence began around 2:07 a.m. on June 14 when Champlin police responded to reports of gunfire at the Hoffman residence. Boelter allegedly posed as a police officer, wearing a badge and other law enforcement equipment when he approached the front door. The suspect shot Hoffman nine times and his wife eight times before fleeing to their second target.
After learning of the Hoffman shooting, Brooklyn Park police proactively checked on Hortman’s home, located about five miles away. Two officers arrived to find what appeared to be a police vehicle with emergency lights parked outside and an individual dressed as an officer leaving the residence. Police Chief Mark Bruley indicated the suspect’s vehicle looked exactly like a police SUV and was equipped with emergency lights.
When officers confronted the individual, he immediately opened fire and exchanged gunshots with police before retreating on foot. Officers entered the residence and found Mark Hortman shot, attempting to render first aid before he was pronounced dead. A drone search of the home later revealed Melissa Hortman’s body inside.
Boelter had served on the same state workforce development board as Hoffman since 2016, when he was first appointed by then-Governor Mark Dayton and later reappointed by current Governor Tim Walz in 2019. The 60-member board connection raises questions about whether the suspect personally knew his victims, though authorities have not confirmed any direct relationship.
Investigators discovered Boelter’s abandoned Ford SUV contained three AK-47 assault rifles, a 9mm handgun, a police-style gold badge, and a mask. Most significantly, they found a list containing 50 to 70 names and addresses of public officials and businesses, including Planned Parenthood locations. The list reportedly included prominent Democrats such as Senator Amy Klobuchar, Governor Tim Walz, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, and state Attorney General Keith Ellison.
The vehicle also contained flyers reading “No Kings,” referencing anti-Trump protests scheduled across the nation on June 14. The Minnesota State Patrol recommended canceling planned demonstrations across the state out of caution, though some events proceeded as scheduled. The connection between the flyers and Boelter’s motives remains under investigation.
Boelter operated Praetorian Guard Security Services LLC, a company offering contract security guards for residential properties and schools. His background includes work as a religious missionary in Africa and the Middle East, with Facebook photos showing him preaching as a church pastor in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The manhunt intensified Sunday when authorities located Boelter’s vehicle in Sibley County, near his home in Green Isle. Twenty SWAT teams, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, and infrared technology were deployed in the search. An officer reported seeing Boelter running into wooded areas, prompting the establishment of a large perimeter.
After investigators received additional information about Boelter’s location in the woods, multiple SWAT teams converged on the rural area characterized by streams, fields, and crops. Minnesota State Patrol Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Geiger reported that Boelter eventually crawled toward law enforcement teams and surrendered without any use of force, though he remained armed during his arrest.
Boelter faces two counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of the Hortmans and two counts of second-degree attempted murder for shooting the Hoffmans. Three of the four charges carry maximum sentences of 40 years in prison. His bail was set at $5 million, and he appeared in Hennepin County court on June 16 at 1:30 p.m.
Hortman had served in the Minnesota House of Representatives for 20 years and was speaker from 2019 to 2025. She played a crucial role in pioneering abortion rights protections in 2023, helping establish Minnesota as a refuge for people seeking reproductive healthcare. Hoffman was elected to the Minnesota Senate in 2012 and continued serving at the time of the attack.
Yvette Hoffman released a statement indicating both she and her husband felt incredibly lucky to be alive despite their injuries. She described the family as gutted and devastated by the Hortmans’ deaths, emphasizing that “there is never a place for this kind of political hate.” John Hoffman underwent multiple surgeries and was reported to be moving toward recovery.
Governor Walz characterized the attacks as politically motivated assassination attempts, though investigators have not yet determined Boelter’s specific motives. The case has raised concerns about political violence and the vulnerability of elected officials, particularly given the suspect’s use of law enforcement impersonation to gain access to victims’ homes.
