(GREEN ISLE, Minn.) — The man suspected of shooting and killing a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband as well as shooting and wounding a second lawmaker and his wife “stalked his victims like prey” and “shot them in cold blood,” acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Joseph Thompson said.
“His crimes are the stuff of nightmares,” Thompson said at a news conference as he outlined the “chilling” details.
Vance Boelter, 57, is accused of killing Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and wounding state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.
Boelter, who was arrested overnight near his farm in Green Isle, Minnesota, is facing federal charges and state charges, including first-degree murder, officials said.
Boelter allegedly surveilled his victims’ homes and took notes, Thompson said.
Two other lawmakers were spared that night, Thompson revealed as he outlined the four homes that Boelter allegedly drove to early Saturday.
Boelter allegedly first drove to Hoffman’s home in Champlin, Minnesota, in a black SUV with emergency lights turned on and a license plate that said “police,” Thompson said.
Hoffman’s “chilling” security camera footage showed the suspect in a black tactical vest, body armor and a “hyper-realistic silicon mask,” Thompson said. Armed with a flashlight and a 9 mm Beretta handgun, Boelter allegedly knocked on the front door and repeatedly shouted, “This is the police, open the door!” Thompson said.
When Sen. Hoffman and his wife came to the door, the suspect shined the flashlight in their faces, said there was a shooting reported in the house and asked if the couple had weapons, Thompson said.
The Hoffmans shouted, “You’re not a cop!” Thompson said, and then the suspect announced that “this is a robbery” and he forced his way into the home.
When Sen. Hoffman tried to push the suspect out of the house, Boelter shot him and his wife, Thompson said.
The Hoffmans’ daughter called 911, Thompson said.
At 2:24 a.m., Boelter allegedly drove to a state representative’s house in Maple Grove, Thompson said. That lawmaker was not home as she and her family were on vacation, Thompson said, and Boelter left the scene.
After the Hoffmans were shot, officers proactively went to the home of his fellow lawmaker, former Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives Melissa Hortman, in the nearby town of Brooklyn Park.
Around 3:35 a.m., when officers arrived at the Hortmans’ house, they saw an SUV “with police-style lights” in the driveway and “immediately saw Defendant, still dressed as a police officer, shoot an adult man … through the open door of the home,” according to court records.
The gunman engaged in a shootout with responders and then fled the scene on foot, authorities said.
The officers who confronted the suspect likely prevented other shootings, according to Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
A target list was recovered from the suspect’s car outside the Hortmans’ house with a list of dozens of Minnesota Democrats, including Hoffman, Hortman, Gov. Tim Walz, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith and state Attorney General Keith Ellison, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the matter.
The shootings sparked a massive, two-day manhunt that included 20 SWAT teams, helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles, authorities said.
Boelter was armed when he was taken into custody late Sunday in a rural area, authorities said, but he was taken into custody without incident.
ABC News’ Pierre Thomas, Katherine Faulders, Mike Levine and Alexander Mallin contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
