Minnesota state senator, wife were shot 17 times; cops reveal how a hunch and mistake led to shooter's arrest

Last weekend, two state lawmakers from Minnesota were gunned down in their homes in what Governor Tim Walz called a "politically motivated assassination" attempt. The attacks left one politician dead and the other seriously injured. The suspect, identified as Vance Luther Boelter, was taken into custody in rural woodland after a day-long manhunt. He has been charged with multiple counts of murder at the state and federal level.

Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife made a startling revelation that they were shot a total of 17 times by the masked gunman. Recalling the heart-pounding attack, Hoffman stated that the attacker then "assassinated” another state lawmaker and her husband.

Hoffman was home with his wife, Yvette, and their daughter Hope after a Democratic fundraising dinner when they were “awakened by the sounds of pounding on the front door and shouts of someone seeking entry, identifying himself as a police officer” around 2 a.m. Saturday, they told KARE 11.


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They opened the door to find a man pointing a gun at them. “All three of us were in the entryway. John initially lunged at the gunman as the weapon was pointed directly at him, getting struck nine times,” the Hoffmans said.

“As John fell, Yvette reached out to push the man and shut the door, succeeding before she was also hit eight times by gunfire,” the statement said. Their daughter, Hope, slammed and locked the door and immediately called 911, they said.

Boelter, 57, fled the scene. He made the short drive to Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman’s Brooklyn Park home, where he shot and killed her, her husband and the family dog, according to police.

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How the Minnesota shooter evaded police

The accused Minnesota assassin Vance Boelter's alleged plan to kill more politicians on his hit list was foiled by police's sergeant's proactive hunch. His capture came after he made a big misstep that exposed his whereabouts to an eagle-eyed neighbor, authorities said.

The gunman had a long hit list with 70 names of targets, which were largely Democrats or figures with ties to Planned Parenthood or abortion rights, police said.

A massive 43‑hour manhunt culminated in the arrest of 57‑year‑old Vance Boelter, accused of assassinating Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and shooting state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.

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Authorities say the plot was foiled thanks to a Brooklyn Park police sergeant's hunch, which led officers to conduct a welfare check at the Hortmans’ home just as Boelter—dressed in a realistic police uniform and latex mask—arrived and opened fire.

While fleeing the scene, Boelter abandoned his vehicle, revealing a trove of weapons, ammunition, body armor, a 9 mm Beretta, and a notebook listing over 45 Democratic officials—including Gov. Tim Walz and U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar—along with detailed surveillance notes, reported ABC News.

A key misjudgment occurred Sunday evening when Boelter attempted to return to his Green Isle farm, where law enforcement had already converged. An alert neighbor spotted him hiding in a field and alerted authorities. Captured on camera by a trail cam, Boelter eventually crawled toward officers and surrendered without incident.

Investigators continue to examine his motives and whether anyone aided him. Boelter remains in custody, facing both state and federal charges.

(With inputs from agencies)