57-year-old suspect sought in targeted shootings of Minnesota state lawmakers

UPDATE: Authorities say the suspect sought in connection with the shootings of state lawmakers Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman is 57-year-old Vance Boelter, sources confirmed to the Associated Press.

Documents obtained by 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS show Boelter, whose current address is listed in Green Isle, Minnesota, was twice appointed to the nonpartisan Governor’s Workforce Development Council in 2016 under former Gov. Mark Dayton and again in 2019 under Gov. Tim Walz. His most recent term expired in January 2023.

Democratic House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed Saturday morning at their home in Brooklyn Park in what Gov. Tim Walz called a “politically motivated assassination.”

During a news conference Saturday morning, the governor also confirmed that DFL State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were also shot multiple times at their home in Champlin. A nephew of the couple said on social media that they were each shot five or six times.

The pair underwent surgery at Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids, and Walz said he was “cautiously optimistic” about their survival.

“Our state lost a great leader, and I lost the dearest of friends. Speaker Hortman was someone who served the state of Minnesota with grace, compassion, humor and a sense of service,” Walz said. “She was a formidable public servant, a fixture and a giant in Minnesota. She woke up every day determined to make this state a better place. She is irreplaceable and will be missed by so many.”

Authorities say both lawmakers and their spouses were shot by a gunman impersonating a police officer. A manhunt is underway in Brooklyn Park for the person responsible, and thousands of people in the surrounding area remain under a shelter-in-place order.

Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said police first responded to the shooting at the Hoffman residence in Champlin around 2 a.m. At 3:35 a.m., a call came in of a similar attack at Hortman’s home in Brooklyn Park.

Brooklyn Park police were “proactively checking” on Hortman’s home due to her close proximity to Hoffman. Evans said those officers encountered the suspect, who fired at them. Police returned fire, but the gunman got away.

The gunman was dressed like a police officer and there was what appeared to be a police squad car with flashing lights parked outside Hortman’s home. He was wearing an armored vest and equipped with a Taser.

Hortman was first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2004, and she served as House speaker from 2019 to 2025. She and her husband are survived by their two children.

GOP Rep. Lisa Demuth of Cold Spring succeeded her as House speaker during the 2025 legislative session under a power-sharing agreement in a tied chamber. In a written statement, she condemned the attack on her colleague.

“I am horrified by the evil attack that took place overnight, and heartbroken beyond words by the loss of Speaker-Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark,” Demuth said. “With the law enforcement response ongoing and details still emerging, I will simply ask all Minnesotans to please lift up in prayer the victims of this horrific attack, as well as the law enforcement personnel still working to apprehend the perpetrator.”

Sources tell 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that all other Minnesota state lawmakers are under protective custody in coordination with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement jurisdictions.

Officials from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives confirmed Saturday they are involved in the investigation.

This is a developing, breaking news story. Check back for updates.