Minnesota is grieving the loss of a committed public servant and her husband, wishing for the quick recovery of Senator Hoffman and his wife — and justice for all the victims of this heinous crime.
(The Post News)– A federal and statewide investigation manhunt is currently underway in Minnesota after the killing of Police State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, by a masked gunman masquerading as a police officer in a “politically motivated assassination” described as such by authorities.
The nightmarish news has been confirmed by Governor Tim Walz on Saturday as he described the attack as “an act of targeted political violence” while referring to Hortman, the ex-Speaker of the House in Minnesota, as being “irreplaceable”.
The victim, 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter, is also suspected of shooting and critically wounding State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their Champlin home on Saturday morning at approximately 2 a.m. The Hoffmans were undergoing surgery Saturday morning, and Gov. Walz said he was “cautiously optimistic” about their prognosis.
Soon after the first shooting, cops flocked to Hortman’s Brooklyn Park home to conduct a welfare check. They discovered, however, a man impersonating a police officer, clad in complete tactical gear and a realistic latex mask. There was an exchange of gunfire when the suspect shot at police before fleeing on foot.
The police discovered a junked car that looked like the SUV police vehicles parked outside Hortman’s residence. They found an arsenal of shocking evidence inside: a “manifesto” and a hit list of some 70 potential targets, including legislators, abortion clinic employees, and liberal activists. It included notable Minnesota Democrats such as Gov. Walz, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, Rep. Ilhan Omar, and Attorney General Keith Ellison.
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension confirmed that the suspect is still on the loose and must be considered armed and dangerous. Twin Cities area residents were asked to be on the lookout and ensure anyone who comes to their door is an officer.
“We are assigning all available resources,” Superintendent of the Bureau Drew Evans said. “We will not stop until this person is taken into custody.”
Boelter, who is a Minneapolis resident with ties to evangelical ministries and private security work, has sat on the Governor’s Workforce Development Board. His online postings claim experience working in foreign conflict zones, including Gaza and Africa. He co-founded Praetorian Guard Security Services and held himself out as a military-trained security expert, though records also show work in food service industries.
David Carlson, a Minneapolis housemate of Boelter, said Friday night was the last time he saw him. At 6 a.m. Saturday, he received a disturbing text message: “He said that he might be dead soon.” Carlson immediately contacted authorities.
Security has been enhanced statewide, and federal authorities are assisting with the investigation. The FBI is assisting local law enforcement agencies in assessing the extent of the plan.
In a rare exhibition of bipartisanship, country leaders soon condemned the attack. Speaking in a statement, President Donald Trump said, “Such horrific violence will not be tolerated.” House Speaker Mike Johnson urged all leaders to “unequivocally condemn” the attack, while U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi pledged full prosecution of the suspect.
Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, who was a close pal of Hortman, regretted her death: “Melissa was the greatest Speaker of the House Minnesota’s ever seen. Her death, and Mark’s, is just a heartbreaking loss.”
“This senseless violence has to stop,” Martin went on. “It’s a symptom of the extremism that’s gripped our nation. If this killer thinks he is going to silence our movement, he is mistaken.”
The suspect’s motive remains under investigation, but the authorities point out that the attack is likely to be ideologically inspired. The authorities are trying to find out how Boelter made his hit list and if there are other threats.
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