Vance Luther Boelter, a 57-year-old security contractor, was apprehended on the night of June 15, 2025, after what officials labeled as the largest manhunt in Minnesota’s history. He is accused of shooting four individuals at the homes of two Democratic lawmakers on June 14, 2025.
The attacks resulted in the deaths of state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, survived despite being shot 17 times collectively.
The violence started around 2:07 a.m. on June 14 when Champlin, Minnesota, police responded to gunfire reports at the Hoffman residence. Boelter allegedly posed as a police officer, wearing a badge and law enforcement gear, before shooting Hoffman nine times and his wife eight times. He then fled to another location.
Following the Hoffman shooting, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, police checked on Hortman’s residence, about five miles away. Officers discovered a vehicle resembling a police SUV with emergency lights parked outside and a person dressed as an officer departing the home. Chief Mark Bruley noted that the suspect’s vehicle closely resembled a police SUV equipped with emergency lights.
When officers confronted the suspect, he fired upon them and engaged in a gunfight before fleeing on foot. Officers entering the residence found Mark Hortman shot and tried to administer first aid, but he was pronounced dead. A drone later discovered Melissa Hortman’s body inside the home.
Boelter had been a member of the same state workforce development board as Hoffman since his 2016 appointment by then-Governor Mark Dayton, with reappointment by Governor Tim Walz in 2019. This connection raises questions about whether the suspect had personal ties to the victims, though authorities have confirmed no direct relationships.
Investigators found Boelter’s abandoned Ford SUV containing three AK-47 rifles, a 9mm handgun, a police-style badge, and a mask. They also discovered a list with approximately 50 names and addresses of public officials and businesses, including Planned Parenthood sites. Notable Democrats, including Senator Amy Klobuchar, Governor Tim Walz, Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, and State Attorney General Keith Ellison, were on the list.
The vehicle also had flyers stating “No Kings,” referring to anti-Trump protests scheduled nationwide on June 14. Despite cautionary advice to cancel demonstrations, some events continued as planned. The link between the flyers and Boelter’s intentions is still under investigation.
Boelter operated Praetorian Guard Security Services, LLC, which provided contract security for residential and educational properties. His past includes missionary work in Africa and the Middle East, as evidenced by Facebook images showing him preaching as a pastor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The manhunt escalated when authorities located Boelter’s vehicle in Sibley County, Minnesota, near his residence in Green Isle. Twenty SWAT teams, helicopters, drones, and infrared technology were utilized in the search. An officer spotted Boelter fleeing into wooded areas, leading to the establishment of a perimeter.
Upon receiving further details about Boelter’s location in the woods, multiple SWAT teams converged on the rural area, characterized by streams and fields. Minnesota State Patrol Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Geiger reported that Boelter eventually surrendered to law enforcement without force, though he was armed at the time.
Boelter faces charges of two counts of second-degree murder for the Hortmans’ deaths and two counts of second-degree attempted murder for shooting the Hoffmans. Three of these charges carry maximum sentences of 40 years. His bail is set at $5 million, and he appeared in Hennepin County court on June 16 at 1:30 p.m.
Hortman served in the Minnesota House of Representatives for 20 years, including as speaker from 2019 to 2025. She was instrumental in establishing abortion rights protections in 2023, making Minnesota a sanctuary for reproductive healthcare seekers. Hoffman was elected to the Minnesota Senate in 2012 and was actively serving at the time of the incident.
Yvette Hoffman issued a statement expressing gratitude for her and her husband’s survival despite their injuries. She described the family’s devastation over the Hortmans’ deaths and emphasized that “there is never a place for this kind of political hate.” John Hoffman has undergone several surgeries and is reportedly on the path to recovery.
Governor Walz described the attacks as politically motivated assassination attempts, though investigators are still working to establish Boelter’s exact motives. The case has highlighted concerns over political violence and the security of elected officials, particularly given the suspect’s alleged impersonation of law enforcement to access the victims’ homes.
