Minnesota shooting victims John, Yvette Hoffman detail 'horrific night'
Under the cover of night, on the early morning of June 14, a gunman gained access to the couple's Champlin home, shot the Democratic lawmaker, and then shot his wife. Police said Yvette Hoffman survived.
Her husband, shot nine times, remained in critical condition on June 19, a spokesperson for the hospital system treating him told KARE 11. She was released from the hospital on Thursday, June 19, according to the Minneapolis-based TV station.
USA TODAY is not identifying the hospital for safety and privacy reasons. A reporter contacted the hospital for more information, but has not received a response.
Another lawmaker in Minnesota, state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, were also shot that same day at their home, Brooklyn Park Police officials said. Law enforcement discovered their bodies on Saturday, June 14.
Following an intense manhunt, law enforcement on June 15 arrested Vance Luther Boelter, 57, in connection with both shootings. He faces state and federal murder charges, including multiple counts of murder and stalking.
Gov. Tim Walz has publicly called the killings a political assassination. Now, days after the shootings, John and Yvette Hoffman are detailing that "horrific night."
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According to the statement from John and Yvette Hoffman, shared with USA TODAY, the couple had attended the Humphrey Mondale dinner on Friday, June 13, and returned home that night with their adult daughter, Hope.
At around 2 a.m., the couple was awakened by the "sounds of pounding on the front door and shouts of someone seeking entry," the statement reads. The individual identified himself as a police officer, and when the couple opened the door, all three of them were in the entryway, the statement continues.
John Hoffman "initially lunged at the gunman as the weapon was pointed directly at him," leading to him being "struck nine times," according to the statement. As he fell, his wife reached out to push the gunman and shut the door, succeeding before she was also "hit eight times by gunfire," the statement continues.
Hope Hoffman then rushed to shut the door and secure the lock before calling 911 and sharing that her dad had been shot in his home, the statement reads.
"Her brave actions and quick thinking triggered the notice to public safety officials that a politically-motivated act was potentially underway," the statement says about Hope.
The couple, which continues to receive medical care, said in the statement that they're "deeply grateful for those providers, for the first responders and for all those in law enforcement who worked so quickly, professionally and selflessly to safeguard others and to apprehend the shooter."
The statement also mentions the murders of Melissa and Mark Hortman, saying: "We are heartbroken to know that our friends Melissa and Mark Hortman were assassinated. Our daughter Hope and Sophie Hortman went to school together, and we know that they - along with Colin Hortman - will have each other's support as we all work through the devastating consequences of that horrific night."
The couple also thanked those at the Fernbrook Elementary School in Maple Grove, Minnesota, for the GoFundMe page that will help them "pick up the broken pieces of (their) lives."
"We are uplifted by the prayers and support from so many across the state of Minnesota and the country: thank you," the statement reads.
The statement also speaks on the risk of being a public servant in today's society, saying: "Choosing to work in the public sector, even in as limited a way as John's career as a senator, has always meant sacrificing a level of privacy. But now we are grappling with the reality that we live in a world where public service carries such risks as being targeted because someone disagrees with you or doesn't like what you stand for."
"As a society, as a nation, as a community, we must work together to return to a level of civility that allows us all to live peacefully. The future for our children depends on that," the statement continues. "We will be praying for that work and appreciate all those who will join with us."
USA TODAY contacted Hoffman's office on June 20 but has not received a response.
Boelter visited the homes of two other state officials the morning he launched a targeted "political assassination," Joseph Thompson, the acting U.S. attorney for Minnesota, said. Boelter drove to the houses of the other state officials after he shot and wounded John Hoffman and his wife.
Police arrested Boelter on June 15 in rural Sibley County, some 50 miles from Minneapolis, after they accused him of fatally shooting Hortman and her husband in their home.
The suspect also targeted several other lawmakers in the Midwest, prosecutors said.
According to a 20-page court affidavit released June 17, detailing the violent and deadly crime spree, FBI Agent Terry Getsceh wrote the suspect meant to 'kill, injure, harass and intimidate'' more than 45 Minnesota state and federal officials whose names and addresses he had researched.
Investigators say Boelter "extensively researched" and planned the June 14 attack. He compiled a list of mostly Democratic state lawmakers and their addresses; he fitted his SUV with lights and a fake license plate to resemble a police squad car; and he purchased a silicone mask and a cache of weapons, court documents filed in federal court show.
Contributing: Rebecca Morin, Christopher Cann, Susan Miller and Jorge L. Ortiz
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Minnesota shooting victims offer statement detailing 'horrific night'
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