Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
MINNEAPOLIS – Vance Boelter, 57, of Green Isle, Minnesota, has been charged by federal complaint with stalking and murdering Minnesota House of Representatives Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, in addition to stalking and shooting Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
According to court documents, in the early morning hours of June 14, 2025, Vance Luther Boelter put into effect a calculated plan to inflict fear and violence upon Minnesota elected officials and their families. Boelter equipped himself with firearms and body armor, disguised himself as a law enforcement officer, and drove to the home of Senator Hoffman. Boelter knocked on the door repeatedly, claiming to be a police officer. Shortly after the Hoffmans opened the door, they were alarmed to realize Boelter was wearing a facemask. The Hoffmans tried to close the door on Boelter, but Boelter repeatedly shot both Senator and Mrs. Hoffman.
Boelter then traveled to the homes of two other Minnesota elected officials, still disguised as a law enforcement officer. Boelter did not manage to make contact with either of those officials or their families.
Next, Boelter drove to the home of Speaker Emerita and Representative Melissa Hortman. Meanwhile, local law enforcement, having heard of the shooting at the Hoffman residence, drove to the Hortman household to conduct a safety check. Upon arriving, officers saw Boelter’s car, a black Ford Explorer SUV designed to look at a law enforcement vehicle. It was equipped with police-style lights that were on and flashing. Officers saw Boelter, standing several feet from and facing the front door of the Hortman home. Moments later, Boelter fired several gunshots into the home, repeatedly striking Mr. Hortman. As Boelter did so, he rushed into the home and fired several additional shots, repeatedly striking Representative Hortman. Officers provided medical aid to the Hortmans and attempted to pursue Boelter, who abandoned the SUV and fled, initially, on foot. Both Hortmans died from their wounds.
Law enforcement searched Boelter’s SUV and recovered five firearms, including semi-automatic, assault-style rifles, a large quantity of ammunition, and several notebooks filled with handwritten notations. Those notes listed out the names of dozens of Minnesota state and federal elected officials. The notes often identified those officials’ home addresses.
A two-day manhunt, coordinated among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies across the state, ensued. As a result of those efforts, at approximately 9:15 on the evening of June 15, law enforcement located Boelter in a field in Green Isle, Minnesota, approximately one mile from his family residence. Law enforcement officers then took Boelter into custody.
“The horrific, targeted murders of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman, as well as the shooting of Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette Hoffman, have shocked the nation and united us in grief. These horrific acts of violence will not go unanswered: the Department of Justice will prosecute this suspect to the fullest extent of the law and if convicted deliver severe consequences for his alleged crimes,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
“Vance Luthor Boelter went on a violent rampage against our elected officials,” said Acting United States Attorney Joe Thompson. “These were targeted political assassinations the likes of which have never been seen in Minnesota. It was an attack on our state and on our democracy. We will not rest until he is brought to justice.”
“This was a horrific act of targeted violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. “A gunman, impersonating a police officer, deliberately lured public servants to their own doorstep and opened fire. A Minnesota lawmaker and her spouse were murdered in cold blood, and others wounded, simply for serving as elected officials. This is not only unacceptable—it is an attack on the democratic values that define this nation. This marked the largest manhunt in Minnesota’s history, and it would not have been possible without the extraordinary partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The tireless coordination and commitment ensured Boelter was located and taken into custody without further incident. The FBI remains steadfast in our pursuit of justice. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the communities they served.”
“The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office is grateful to all of the local, state, and federal agencies responsible for justice in this case. I am thoroughly humbled by the response from law enforcement across the state. Our community is shaken by this violence, which strikes at the very heart of our democracy. Our hearts are with the victims, their loved ones, and our community. Today, we are one step closer to justice as Vance Boelter faces federal charges for his heinous crimes. Our Office stands united in grief and resolve, determined to honor the lives affected and ensure that our communities can begin to heal,” said Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Whitt.
“The violence inflicted upon the Hortman and Hoffman families sparked a manhunt unlike anything we’ve seen in Minnesota,” said Mark Bruley, Brooklyn Park Police Chief “Our investigation with partner agencies is ongoing and we will work to the fullest degree to bring this suspect to justice.”
“The deliberate targeting of elected officials and their families is an appalling act of political violence that has no place in our country,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Travis Riddle, of the St. Paul Field Division. “We extend our deepest condolences to the victims, their families, and all those affected by this tragedy. In response, ATF brought forward key investigative resources, including firearms tracing, NIBIN analysis, and a specially trained K-9 team, to help recover evidence and generate leads. Our agents contributed their full expertise and manpower to the search and continue to support the ongoing investigation. I’m proud of the role ATF has played and commend the extraordinary work of all law enforcement partners who came together to bring the suspect into custody.”
Boelter will make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court today, before Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty.
This case is a result of a criminal investigation conducted by the FBI, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, ATF, Brooklyn Park Police Department, Minneapolis Police Department, Hennepin County Sherriff’s Office, Champlin Police Department, and New Hope Police Department, together with several other state and local partners. The National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section also assisted in the investigation. This investigation has proceeded with the U.S. Attorney’s Office strong partnership with Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Jacobs, Bradley M. Endicott, Matthew D. Forbes, and Daniel W. Bobier are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.