Alleged perpetrator of Minnesota lawmaker homicide reportedly paid visits to residences of other legislators, according to court declarations.
Tale of Gunfire and Fear: The Minnesota Parliament Shooting Spree
In the heart of bustling Minneapolis, the unthinkable happened. On a fateful June night in 2025, a shadowy figure embarked on a chilling mission to leave a trail of chaos and devastation. The suspect, Vance Luther Boelter, stands accused of carrying out a methodical plan to instill fear and violence towards Minnesota state lawmakers Melissa Hortman, John Hoffman, and their significant others.
The multiple shootings targeted these politicians and their spouses during the early hours of June 14, 2025. Boelter, donning a police-style tactical vest and a lifelike silicone mask, launched his attack, leaving a path of destruction in his wake.
Boelter first approached the Hoffmans' residence in Champlin, identifying himself as a police officer and then firing numerous shots inside the home. He was driving an SUV equipped with police-style lights and a fake license plate that read "POLICE."
His next stop was another state lawmaker's house in Maple Grove, where he rang the doorbell at 2:24am, and was later found to have been disguised as a police officer. The legislator was not home at the time, according to authorities.
Boelter also visited the home of a state senator in New Hope. A police officer dispatched to the house to conduct a wellness check after learning about the Hoffman shooting believed Boelter, who was parked outside, was another police officer and pulled up next to him. The responding officer left when reinforcements arrived, only to find Boelter had previously departed.
Shortly after, officers were dispatched to the Hortmans' house in Brooklyn Park as a precaution, where they observed Boelter shooting Mark Hortman through an open door around 3:35am and exchanged fire with him before he fled on foot. Melissa Hortman had tragically already been killed inside.
Police found three AK-47 assault rifles, a 9-mm handgun, gold police-style badge, and the target list in Boelter's SUV after the shootings. Investigations revealed that he had planned the attacks meticulously, with notebooks found in his car and residence detailing some of his preparations and including the names of dozens of legislators, primarily Democrats, along with abortion rights advocates.
Authorities are continuing their investigation to determine if Boelter's wife played any role in the planning or was aware of the attack beforehand. Boelter has five children, according to reports.
The shooting spree was just one in a series of high-profile acts of political violence across the nation. Included in this unsettling list are the attempted assassination of former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's husband and the arson attack at Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's residence.
As the aftermath of the Minnesota shootings unfolds, the community, lawmakers, and nation are left reeling, grappling with political violence that has become an unfortunate hallmark of American democracy.
In the remarkable turn of events, the chilling incident of political violence quickly spread beyond Minnesota, causing widespread concern in general-news and crime-and-justice circles. The victims, state lawmakers and their significant others, were targeted in a calculated attack that echoed nationwide instances of political unrest, such as the attempted assassination of former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's husband and the arson attack at Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's residence.
As authorities continue their investigation into the Minnesota Parliament shooting spree, the suspect, Vance Luther Boelter, faces numerous charges, and the nation awaits the unraveling of the intricate web of politics and crime that gave rise to this tragic event.
