UPDATE: FBI offering $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the shooting suspect
(Original story below)
MINNESOTA – Minnesota Governor Tim Walz says DFL State Representative Melissa Hortman of Brooklyn Park and her husband, Mark were killed and DFL State Sen. John Hoffman of Champlin and his wife, Yvette, were shot in what Walz calls a politically motivated assassination.
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans says around 2:00 Saturday morning there was a 911 call about Hoffman and his wife being shot at their Champlin home.
When officers went to check on Hortman at her home around 3:35 AM, police found the former Minnesota Speaker of the House and her husband dead.
While there, officers spotted a person dressed as a police officer wearing a badge, vest and a stun gun.
Law enforcement exchanged gunfire with the suspect, who escaped on foot.
Authorities say the suspect left behind an SUV that was outfitted to look like a police vehicle with emergency lights on.
Evans says Hoffman and his wife underwent surgery and are recovering at the hospital.
Walz said they’re “cautiously optimistic” that the two will survive.
Federal, state and local police are searching for the shooter, who has been identified as 57-year old Vance Boelter.
Boelter is said to be armed and dangerous.
While searching Boelter’s vehicle, authorities say they say they found a manifesto that mentioned other lawmakers and officials.
But police did not publicly share the identities of the names in the list.
Flag Family News reached out to DFL State Sen. Rob Kupec of Moorhead, DFL State Representative Heather Keeler and Republican State Representative Jim Joy of Hawley.
Keeler said she’s safe and we haven’t heard back from Kupec or Joy.
Given the targeted shootings of state lawmakers overnight, we are asking the public to not attend today’s planned demonstrations across Minnesota out of an abundance of caution. pic.twitter.com/7hFccnrQUT
— MN State Patrol (@MnDPS_MSP) June 14, 2025
The State Patrol advised people not to attend the No Kings Day protests in Minnesota out of an abundance of caution, since flyers about the event were found in the suspect’s vehicle.
Authorities say they don’t have any credible information any of the events have been targeted.
The No Kings website says the protest in Northeast Minneapolis has been cancelled because of the shootings. The events are scheduled to protest President Donald Trump and his policies.
“Our state lost a great leader, and I lost the dearest of friends,” Walz said during a press conference.
“Speaker Hortman was someone who served the state with grace, compassion, humor and a sense of service. My prayers also go out to State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, who were each shot multiple times.”
The governor said political violence has no place in Minnesota and our country.
“Political discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don’t settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint,” Walz said.
In October 2023, Hortman went to an Indigenous People’s Day event at Moorhead High School with Keeler, a member of the Yankton Sioux Tribe.
“I’m so grateful to Rep. Keeler & the Native American Legislative Caucus for their leadership and work to establish this day as a state holiday,” Hortman wrote on social media.
The Minnesota Legislature recently wrapped up its one-day special session on Monday.
Hortman was involved in many discussions on budget bills passed by lawmakers and sent to Walz’s desk.
During that session, Hortman broke from the DFL to vote in favor of a bill repealing care for illegal immigrants under MinnesotaCare.
In negotiations before the session, Republicans agreed to pass a budget deal worked out by Walz and legislative leaders, so long as the repeal was passed.
