Minnesota shootings: Suspect Vance Boelter’s religious life in focus as investigators probe motive

Boelter, 57, is suspected of fatally shooting Democratic state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, then leading police on a two-day chase in Minnesota

Trump mocks idea of calling Minnesota governor after murder of state Democrats

Vance Boelter, 57, who is suspected of fatally shooting Minnesota Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and wounding Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, has been charged with state and federal crimes.

A two-day manhunt for Boelter, described as the largest in the state’s history, ended with his arrest late on Sunday.

He has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder by the state, which intends to upgrade the counts to first-degree murder. Federal charges include firearm offenses, stalking, and murder, potentially making this a death penalty case. He is being held on $5 million bail and is scheduled to return to court on June 27.

Authorities discovered “voluminous” written material in Boelter's car and home, including plans, lists of names, and surveillance research targeting elected officials.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson stated that Boelter had compiled a list of 45 state and federal elected officials – all Democrats – and had researched their backgrounds and those of their families. On the night of the shootings, Boelter allegedly impersonated a police officer and also visited the homes of two other lawmakers.

Key points

• Vance Boelter in custody over shootings of Minnesota Democratic lawmakers after two-day manhunt
• Trump refuses to call 'whacked out' Gov Tim Walz after death of state lawmaker and friend
• 'Heartbroken and devastated': Children of slain lawmaker Melissa Hortman issue statement
• Minnesota senator confronts Repulican colleague Mike Lee over posts mocking shootings
• Lawmakers on list of suspected Minnesota shooter vow not to bow down
• Congress holding emergency briefings on security for lawmakers in wake of shootings

[17 June 2025 06:00 · Josh Marcus]

Minnesota Senator claims Mike Lee fled and pretended to talk on phone to avoid conversation about posts mocking shootings

Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota continues to hammer Senator Mike Lee of Utah for his posts on X over the weekend speculating about and making light of the recent shooting of Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota.

“I wanted to look him in the eye and tell him what I thought and how it made me and so many Minnesotans feel that he had done this,” Smith said of a confrontation between the pair that took place in the Capitol on Monday.

Smith, in an interview with streamer Brian Tyler Cohen, said she had to “chase after him a bit” to begin the conversation, and accused Lee of pretending to be on the phone to avoid the head-to-head.

“I don’t think this is a man who is frequently confronted by anybody, and I will tell you he seemed a little shocked to have anybody challenging him, let alone one of his colleagues,” Smith added.

[17 June 2025 07:59 · Josh Marcus]

Friend describes Boelter as 'conservative' but not fanatical

(Hennepin County Sheriff's Office)

With Vance Boelter in custody, officials are working to understand what drove the 57-year-old to shoot Minnesota Democratic lawmakers and their families, as officials allege.

Boelter’s past suggests a conservative political bent, but no outright signs of violent ideology or plans, according to the limited public information available at this early stage.

"He was right-leaning politically but never fanatical, from what I saw, just strong beliefs,” Paul Schroeder, a friend of Boelter’s, told The Associated Press.

The outlet also reviewed sermons Boelter gave while volunteering as an evangelical pastor during a stint in the Democratic Republic of Congo as a security pastor.

“The churches are so messed up, they don’t know abortion is wrong in many churches,” he said in one such sermon.

[17 June 2025 09:00 · Josh Marcus]

Dog belonging to slain Minnesota lawmaker had to be put down after attack

A pet dog belonging to a Minnesota state representative and her husband who were shot dead at their home on Saturday, has been put down after being wounded in the attack.

Melissa Hortman, 55, and her husband Mark, 58, were shot multiple times at their Brooklyn Park home in the early hours of Saturday, by a man posing as a police officer.

It has emerged that the family’s dog, Gilbert, was “humanely euthanized” after suffering severe wounds in the attack. He was four and a half years old.

Michelle Del Rey reports.

[17 June 2025 10:00 · Josh Marcus]

Boelter's alleged last texts to family revealed

Minnesota shooting suspect Vance Boelter allegedly sent text messages to family members, including his wife, around the time of the shootings of four lawmakers he is accused of carrying out on Saturday.

“Dad went to war last night… I don’t wanna say more because I don’t wanna implicate anybody,” Boelter allegedly wrote in one message to his family, obtained by The New York Post.

“Words are not gonna explain how sorry I am for this situation… there’s gonna be some people coming to the house armed and trigger-happy and I don’t want you guys around,” he wrote in another message, this one to his wife.

(FBI )

[17 June 2025 11:00 · Josh Marcus]

The MAGA right spreads false claims in wake of Minnesota shootings

Politicians, businessmen and right-wing influencers aligned with the Republican Party have spread unfounded claims about the Minnesota shootings and political violence more broadly in the days since.

Some have framed the shooting as a Democratic plot, while Donald Trump Jr has used the occasion to claim, without evidence, that transgender people are the most pressing public safety threat.

Here is our story fact-checking their outlandish claims.

[17 June 2025 12:00 · Joe Sommerlad]

Lawmakers on list of suspected Minnesota shooter vow not to bow down

From a legislator in downtown Minneapolis to a veteran Ohio congresswoman, many lawmakers included in the suspected Minnesota gunman’s list of targets have vowed not to bow down.

The dozens of politicians included in Vance Boelter’s writings were Democrats, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson. About 45 were state and federal officials in Minnesota, while elected leaders in Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin said they were also mentioned in the writings.

Authorities have not provided a motive for the shootings.

Here’s a look at how some of the lawmakers in Boelter’s writings have reacted to Saturday’s disturbing events.

[17 June 2025 13:00 · Joe Sommerlad]

John and Yvette Hoffman ‘humbled’ by outpouring of support

Yvette Hoffman, the wife of Minnesota state senator John Hoffman, is recovering from her injuries in hospital alongside her husband but has issued the following statement to CNN affiliate WCCO:

“First and foremost, John and I hold a deep and profound gratitude for the work of our law enforcement agencies and the public for their help in bringing the suspect to justice, while diligently keeping our communities safe during this extremely difficult and senseless event.

“John and I are both incredibly lucky to be alive. We continue our healing journey and are humbled by the outpouring of love and support our family has received from across the state and our nation.

“There is never a place for senseless political violence and loss of life. We are devastated by the loss of Melissa and Mark [Hortman], and our hearts go out to all those who knew and loved them both. We are always at our best when we unite together.”

[17 June 2025 14:00 · Joe Sommerlad]

The View rips Mike Lee over Minnesota shooter tweets

Tearing into the Republican senator on Monday for his tweets that seemingly blamed the politically motivated shootings of Minnesota lawmakers on “Marxists” and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the hosts of ABC’s The View agreed that if Lee had “any other job,” he would “be fired instantly.”

Less than a day after saying he condemned “political violence” following the fatal shooting at a protest in his home state of Utah, Lee took to his personal X account labeled @BasedMikeLee – where he regularly peddles far-right disinformation – to mock the tragedy and point the finger at Democrats and leftists.

Justin Baragona has the story.

[17 June 2025 14:06 · Oliver O'Connell]

Trump won't call 'whacked out' Walz

President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he does not plan to call Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential nominee in 2024, after a weekend shooting left one of the state's lawmakers dead and another injured.

State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were shot and killed in their home in the early hours of Saturday morning after State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were shot and injured at their residence. Both lawmakers were Democrats and friends of the governor.

Trump issued a statement following Saturday's shooting, asserting that such “horrific violence” would not be tolerated in the U.S. However, he has chosen not to offer conciliatory words to Walz as he leads the response in his state.

Walz was the running mate of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris last year. Trump and his then-running mate, JD Vance, defeated them in the November election.

Vance has spoken with Walz, a source close to the governor told NBC News. Walz expressed appreciation for the coordination between federal law enforcement and Minnesota public safety officials, the source said.

“I think the governor of Minnesota is so whacked out. I'm not calling him. Why would I call him?” Trump told reporters on Air Force One, en route back from a trip to Canada for a G7 leaders meeting.

“The guy doesn't have a clue. He's a mess. So I could be nice and call him, but why waste time?”

The suspect, Vance Boelter, accused of assassinating a Minnesota lawmaker and injuring another, drove to the homes of at least four state politicians as part of a planned killing spree, U.S. authorities said on Monday.

[17 June 2025 14:40 · Oliver O'Connell]

Democrat leadership writes to Speaker Johnson calling for additional security

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Administration Committee Top Democrat Rep. Joseph Morelle have written to Speaker Mike Johnson calling for additional security for all House members nationwide, following the shooting of Minnesota state lawmakers.

They wrote in part: “That responsibility starts with you. The Speaker of the House has extensive authority over this institution, both administratively and legislatively. We strongly urge you to immediately direct the Sergeant at Arms to take all necessary steps to protect House members throughout the country. At the same time, it is imperative that we substantially increase the Member Representational Allowance (MRA) to support additional safety and security measures in every single office.”