Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, released a statement following a violent assassination attempt that left John critically injured and Yvette recovering after being shot eight times. The masked gunman, 57-year-old Vance Boelter, attacked the couple at their home, firing 17 shots during the targeted incident, which also claimed the lives of State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband. The Hoffmans described being awakened by someone posing as a police officer before the gunman opened fire. Their daughter Hope managed to lock the door and call 911, alerting authorities to a possible politically motivated attack.
Boelter, a former appointee of Governor Tim Walz and described as “very conservative,” was later apprehended after fleeing and hiding in a wooded area. Authorities found a hit list in his car naming several prominent Minnesota Democrats. Boelter had a background in theology and food service and was seen preaching in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Hoffmans expressed grief for the Hortman family and emphasized the dangers public servants now face due to extreme political polarization. They urged for a societal return to civility and peaceful coexistence.
