MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Killer of Minnesota Senator in custody had other victims in mind

Walz said the shootings were politically motivated

A man has been detained in connection with the June 14 murder of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman, 55, and her husband, Mark Hortman, 58, who were fatally shot at their home in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, in a politically motivated attack.

In a related incident, State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were shot at their home in Champlin, 9 miles away, but survived after surgery.

The suspect, 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter, was arrested Sunday in Sibley County, charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder.

Boelter allegedly impersonated a police officer, using a fake badge, uniform, and a vehicle resembling a police cruiser to access the victims’ homes.

A manifesto found in his vehicle listed nearly 70 targets, including abortion providers, pro-abortion advocates, and lawmakers like Hortman, Hoffman, Senator Amy Klobuchar, and Governor Tim Walz, suggesting a motive tied to abortion rights.

Papers with “No Kings,” a slogan linked to anti-Trump protests, were also found, though their relevance is unclear. Police recovered three AK-47 rifles, a 9mm handgun, a ballistic vest, and a mask from Boelter’s vehicle. Over 100 law enforcement agents participated in the manhunt, with the FBI offering a US$ 50,000 reward for his capture.

A Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL) politician, Hortman represented District 34B since 2004, serving as House Minority Leader (2017–2019) and Speaker of the House (2019–2025). She championed progressive causes, including abortion rights, gun control, police reform, environmental policies, and free school lunches. She authored Minnesota’s solar energy standard and negotiated a 2025 power-sharing agreement in a 67–67 split House.

Hortman was a lawyer with degrees from Boston University, the University of Minnesota, and Harvard Kennedy School. She and Mark, a business consultant with a physics degree, had two adult children, Colin and Sophie. They were active in Helping Paws, training service dogs, and Hortman volunteered for housing justice and community initiatives.

Boelter, 57, had already been declared a “person of interest” by the police. He served on Minnesota's Workforce Development Board with Hoffman until 2023. Described as gentle, he showed no prior red flags but sent texts suggesting he expected to die during the attacks.

According to the latest reports, the perpetrator first attacked Senator Hoffman and his wife, whom he left wounded. And, later, he went over to the Hortman family's home to finish them off. His list of targets included Governor and former Vice-Presidential candidate Tim Walz, who described the shootings as a “politically motivated assassination.”