Assasination of women lawmaker in Minnesota, fake cop comes to home and shoots her dead. Gunman has escaped capture

[Scott Downey]

Minnesota lawmaker killed after migrant vote, rocking "No Kings" protests​

MSN

A photo of Melissa Hortman as provided by the Minnesota House of Representatives.© Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota Democratic state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed early Saturday morning in an act of "targeted political violence," Governor Tim Walz said during a press conference Saturday.

Earlier this week, Hortman provided the sole Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party vote on HF1, a bill amending the state's MinnesotaCare coverage eligibility.


The bill, which passed the House on June 12, enforces citizenship requirements to obtain the state's Medicaid program coverage, stripping adult undocumented immigrants of publicly funded health care.

Hortman and her husband, Mark, were pronounced dead Saturday morning after a gunman posing as law enforcement arrived at their home in the early hours and shot them. Walz called the shooting "a politically motivated assassination."

The gunman, who remains at large, had targeted the home of another Democratic lawmaker, state Senator John Hoffman, shortly before the attack on the Hortmans. Hoffman and his wife Yvette were shot multiple times and underwent surgery.

Walz, the Democratic nominee for vice president last year, said the killing was politically motivated without elaborating.

Hortman provided the sole Democratic vote in Minnesota's lower chamber to pass a Republican bill that would strip adult undocumented migrants of state-funded healthcare. The bill passed the House in a 68-65 vote, with Hortman's vote helping Republicans secure its passage, which left Hortman in tears.

 

[Scott Downey]

At approximately 3:45 a.m. local time on Saturday, the local Brooklyn Park police were called and "proactively" went to Hortman's house following a shooting at Hoffman's house earlier, Brooklyn Park police chief Mark Bruley said at the press conference.

When police officers showed up at Hortman's house "they noticed that there was a police vehicle in the driveway with the lights, emergency lights on, and what appeared to be a police officer at the door coming out of the house."

However, that individual was "not a real police officer, this is somebody that clearly had been impersonating a police officer," Bruley noted.

"When our officers confronted him, the individual immediately fired upon the officers who exchanged gun fire," the police chief said. The individual then escaped, believed to have escaped outside the back of the house. Bruley also noted that the suspect drove a vehicle that "looked exactly like an SUV squad car."

 

[Scott Downey]

MSN

Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed, and state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were wounded in politically motivated shootings overnight, Gov. Tim Walz said Saturday.


Hortman, 55, and her husband Mark were shot in their Brooklyn Park home, while Hoffman, 60, and his wife Yvette were shot about 5 miles away in their Champlin home. Investigators say they believe the suspect was dressed in a manner to appear like a police officer.


Hortman, who leaves behind two children, represented Minnesota House District 34B, and Hoffman Minnesota Senate District 34. Both are members of the Democratic Party. Hoffman and his wife have one child.

At a Saturday morning press conference, Walz called the deaths of Hortman and her husband "a political assassination."

Multiple law enforcement sources have identified a person of interest being sought by investigators in connection with the shootings as 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter, of Minnesota, who works for a security firm.

A WCCO crew saw a vehicle believed to be Boelter's — with white and yellow lights on top of it and with a license plate that says "police" — towed away from the Hortmans' home. A number of things were also pulled out of the vehicle.

The sources say there was an extensive list of possible targets among writings found inside the vehicle. More than 50 individuals were listed, including officials beyond Minnesota, abortion rights advocates and abortion facilities.


There were also fliers connected to the "No Kings" protests found inside. Organizers have since canceled events in Minnesota. WCCO reporter Jennifer Mayerle says hundreds were initially gathered in downtown St. Paul for the march, but the crowd has mostly dispersed outside the Capitol as of 2:45 p.m.

The suspect was originally described by law enforcement as a White man with brown hair who's believed to be wearing a blue shirt and blue pants with a black tactical vest.

Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, says Champlin police first responded to Hoffman's home at about 2 a.m., with Brooklyn Park police assisting. Hoffman and his wife were each shot multiple times, authorities said.

"We are cautiously optimistic they will survive this assassination attempt," Walz said.

A Brooklyn Park police sergeant is said to have proactively decided to check on lawmakers in their city. When officers arrived at Hortman's home at about 3:35 a.m., Evans says they saw what appeared to be a police SUV with emergency lights on. The suspect then exited Hortman's home and exchanged gunfire with officers before fleeing on foot.

 

[Scott Downey]

Shelter in place order in effect amid manhunt​

Authorities say a shelter-in-place order remain in effect for a three-mile radius around Brooklyn Park's Edinburgh Golf Course as law enforcement search for the suspect. But with the active manhunt now beyond the 12-hour mark, the search zone is widening.

WCCO
Residents are advised that if police show up at your door, they will be officers in pairs, not alone. Do not answer the door unless there are two officers there. If there is just one officer, call 911 immediately. Authorities will know if any officers were sent to your residence.

President Trump: "Such horrific violence will not be tolerated"​

President Trump released this statement on Saturday morning following the shootings:

"I have been briefed on the terrible shooting that took place in Minnesota, which appears to be a targeted attack against State Lawmakers. Our Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and the FBI, are investigating the situation, and they will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law. Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!"

A source close to the governor's office tells WCCO Walz spoke with Vice President Vance on Saturday about the shootings.

"The governor expressed appreciation for the ongoing coordination between federal law enforcement and Minnesota public safety officials," the source said.

 

[Scott Downey]

Gunman has a hit list of politicians he plans to murder

MSN

Authorities said they've identified 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter as a suspect as they search for the gunman who allegedly shot and killed a state representative and shot and wounded a state senator in a targeted act of violence early Saturday.

Authorities said they're still investigating if Boelter knew the victims in Saturday's shooting: State Rep. Melissa Hortman and State Sen. John Hoffman.

"There's certainly some overlap with some, you know, public meetings, I will say, with Sen. Hoffman and the individual," authorities said.

Police released this photo of Boelter taken on Saturday.

Authorities said they've identified 57-year-old Vance Boelter as a person of interest.© KSTP
Dozens of Minnesota Democrats were on a target list written by the gunman, according to law enforcement sources.

The Minnesota Democrats on the list included Gov. Tim Walz, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith and state Attorney General Keith Ellison, according to law enforcement sources familiar with the matter.