Latest news with #JennyBoelter
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Minnesota shooting suspect's wife offers sympathies to lawmakers' families
Jenny Boelter, the wife of the Minnesota shooting suspect, extended her sympathies to the families of the lawmakers and spouses who were slain or seriously wounded in their homes earlier this month. In a statement provided through a legal representative, Boelter said she was 'absolutely shocked' and 'horrified' by the shootings and was cooperating fully with law enforcement. 'On behalf of my children and myself, I want to express our deepest sympathies to the Hortman and Hoffman families. Our condolences are with all who are grieving during this unimaginably difficult time, and we are praying daily for them,' Boelter said in the statement. 'We are absolutely shocked, heartbroken and completely blindsided,' she continued. 'This violence does not at all align with our beliefs as a family. It is a betrayal of everything we hold true as tenets of our Christian faith.' 'We are appalled and horrified by what occurred and our hearts are incredibly heavy for the victims of this unfathomable tragedy,' she added. Former Minnesota state Speaker Melissa Hortman (D) and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed in their home early on June 14. Shortly before that, according to authorities, the same gunman shot and wounded another Democratic lawmaker, state Sen. John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette, a few miles away in their home. Vance Boelter was charged with a series of state and federal crimes, including murder, in connection to the shootings. He ultimately surrendered to authorities on June 15 after what officials described as the largest search in the state's history. He has not entered a plea and remains in jail, according to The Associated Press. Jenny Boelter stressed in her statement that she and her family have 'fully cooperated with investigators and responded to their every request,' since they first contacted her hours after the shooting. 'On the morning of June 14, 2025, I received a call from law enforcement and immediately drove to meet agents at a nearby gas station. We were not pulled over; we parked and waited until they arrived. When they did, we voluntarily agreed to meet with them, answer their questions, provide all the items they requested, and cooperate with all searches,' the statement read. She thanked law enforcement for apprehending her husband. 'We are grateful for the diligent and professional efforts to the authorities to fully investigate these crimes. We thank law enforcement for apprehending Vance and protecting others from further harm.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Herald Scotland
27-06-2025
- The Herald Scotland
'A betrayal': Minnesota lawmaker shooting suspect's wife speaks out
"We are absolutely shocked, heartbroken and completely blindsided. This violence does not at all align with our beliefs as a family," Jenny Boelter said in a statement released by her attorneys. "It is a betrayal of everything we hold true as tenets of our Christian faith." In the hours after the shootings, Vance Boelter sent multiple text messages to his wife and his family, according to a federal affidavit. "Dad went to war last night ... I dont wanna say more because I dont wanna implicate anybody," Vance Boelter said in a message to a group chat that included his wife and children, according to the affidavit . The affidavit said Vance Boelter also sent his wife a separate message saying, "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." According to the affidavit, law enforcement used cell phone data to locate Boelter's wife after the shooting. Jenny Boelter said law enforcement officials contacted her in the morning on June 14 and she met them voluntarily at a nearby gas station. "We were not pulled over; we parked and waited until they arrived," she said in the statement. "When they did, we voluntarily agreed to meet with them, answer their questions, provide all items they requested, and cooperate with all searches." When asked about Jenny Boelter's claims, FBI spokesperson Cindy Burnham told USA TODAY, "To preserve the integrity and capabilities of the investigation, I cannot share any details at this time." Officials said Jenny Boelter agreed to a search of her phone and car. She was traveling with her four children to visit friends northwest of the metro area, a federal complaint said. In the car, officers found a safe, all of the children's passports as well as Jenny Boelter's, about $10,000 in cash, a revolver pistol in the glove box and another semi-automatic pistol in a cooler, the FBI said in the complaint. She told police her husband was a doomsday "prepper" with "bailout" plan in the event of a catastrophe. Contributing: Michael Loria and Christopher Cann
CNN
27-06-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Wife of Minnesota suspect says she was ‘blindsided' by shootings of state politicians
The wife of suspect Vance Boelter spoke out for the first time since two Minnesota state politicians and their spouses were shot, saying she and her family are 'absolutely shocked, heartbroken and completely blindsided' by the violent incident that killed one couple and seriously injured the other. Boelter is accused of killing Melissa Hortman, a member of the Minnesota State House, and her husband, Mark, as well as injuring John Hoffman, a member of the Minnesota State Senate, and his wife in a separate shooting. He is facing state and federal charges including murder, firearms offenses and stalking, and could face the death penalty. He has not yet entered a plea. Authorities called the shooting a 'politically motivated assassination.' In a statement through the law firm representing her, Halberg Criminal Defense, Jenny Boelter offered her 'deepest sympathies' to the victims' families. 'This violence does not at all align with our beliefs as a family. It is a betrayal of everything we hold true as tenets of our Christian faith. We are appalled and horrified by what occurred and our hearts are incredibly heavy for the victims of this unfathomable tragedy,' the statement read. She added that the family has fully cooperated with authorities since the beginning of the investigation and thanked them for apprehending her husband before further harm was done. It's the first time the public has heard from Jenny Boelter since the June 14 attacks. The statement comes as more details emerge from court documents about the investigation into Boelter's actions that morning and the ensuing manhunt. His public defender, Manny K. Atwal, had no comment on the release of the documents. Boelter is scheduled to appear in federal court in St. Paul, Minnesota on Friday for a preliminary detention hearing. Also on Friday, the Hortmans will lie in state at the Minnesota Capitol. The couple will be joined by the family's golden retriever, Gilbert, who was 'humanely euthanized' after being shot and injured during the attacks. According to a search warrant affidavit obtained by CNN affiliate KARE and reviewed by CNN, Jenny Boelter was initially 'not forthcoming with knowledge of her husband being involved in something serious.' Investigators said she later became cooperative, telling law enforcement she had received messages from her husband in the early morning hours after the shooting instructing her to take the children to her parents' home because 'people with guns' might come to their house, the documents state. She told authorities that Vance Boelter had recently bought masks for his security business and still owned the police-like vehicle the suspect used in his alleged attacks. During their investigation, special agents with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension applied for warrants to track Boelter's WhatsApp account and review his Amazon purchases, according to the documents. Boelter was a 'prepper,' and had given his wife a 'bailout plan' in case of 'exigent circumstances,' an FBI agent investigating the case said in another recently unsealed affidavit. The affidavit does not imply that Boelter's wife knew about his alleged plans to attack the lawmakers, and she has not been charged with any crime. After the shootings, investigators found two handguns, passports for Jenny Boelter and her children and about $10,000 in cash in the vehicle she was in when she met with law enforcement, according to the affidavit. During an interview, Boelter's wife said that she received a group text message from Boelter in a thread with their children. 'Dad went to war last night … I don't wanna say more because I don't wanna implicate anybody,' one text from Boelter to members of his family read, according to a federal complaint unsealed last week. It took less than two days for authorities to identify and locate Boelter. But in those 43 hours, they obtained numerous search warrants that offer new insight into the massive multi-agency effort to find and locate the alleged gunman. Authorities found a receipt for a Minneapolis storage unit in the car Boelter allegedly abandoned after the shootout at the Hoffman home, along with a hit list that included the names of abortion providers, pro-abortion advocates and lawmakers in Minnesota and other states. Authorities searched the storage unit and recovered five body bags, four soft-side gun cases, a gray tarp and gun cleaning supplies, according to a search warrant. Authorities also searched the area around the Hoffman home and recovered a light-colored mask and a brown-haired wig in nearby woods, as well as a thigh holster, a replica Beretta and a conceal and carry badge. A search of Boelter's property in Sibley County, in the town of Green Isle, recovered nearly 50 firearms, a ghillie camoflagesuit and nearly $18,000 in cash. He also had at least 12 vehicles registered to him at his home in Sibley County. Officials were tracking a cellphone they believed belonged to the suspect when they received a call from an unexpected location — a local home improvement store. Boelter turned off his cellphone right after the killings, but turned it on the next day, according to the documents. As law enforcement officers closed in on the cellphone's location, they received a tip that the phone was at a Home Depot in a Minneapolis suburb, where employees were trying to find its owner. Authorities responded and collected the iPhone 13 as evidence. Boelter was found at 7:30 p.m. June 15 after a Sibley County resident spotted him on a trail camera. Authorities were able to spot him using infrared technology on a drone. Once found, Boelter 'crawled' to law enforcement and was taken into custody without incident. He remains in custody at the Sherburne County Jail. CNN's Hanna Park and Jennifer Feldman contributed to this story
CNN
27-06-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Wife of Minnesota suspect says she was ‘blindsided' by shootings of state politicians
The wife of suspect Vance Boelter spoke out for the first time since two Minnesota state politicians and their spouses were shot, saying she and her family are 'absolutely shocked, heartbroken and completely blindsided' by the violent incident that killed one couple and seriously injured the other. Boelter is accused of killing Melissa Hortman, a member of the Minnesota State House, and her husband, Mark, as well as injuring John Hoffman, a member of the Minnesota State Senate, and his wife in a separate shooting. He is facing state and federal charges including murder, firearms offenses and stalking, and could face the death penalty. He has not yet entered a plea. Authorities called the shooting a 'politically motivated assassination.' In a statement through the law firm representing her, Halberg Criminal Defense, Jenny Boelter offered her 'deepest sympathies' to the victims' families. 'This violence does not at all align with our beliefs as a family. It is a betrayal of everything we hold true as tenets of our Christian faith. We are appalled and horrified by what occurred and our hearts are incredibly heavy for the victims of this unfathomable tragedy,' the statement read. She added that the family has fully cooperated with authorities since the beginning of the investigation and thanked them for apprehending her husband before further harm was done. It's the first time the public has heard from Jenny Boelter since the June 14 attacks. The statement comes as more details emerge from court documents about the investigation into Boelter's actions that morning and the ensuing manhunt. His public defender, Manny K. Atwal, had no comment on the release of the documents. Boelter is scheduled to appear in federal court in St. Paul, Minnesota on Friday for a preliminary detention hearing. Jenny Boelter was initially 'not forthcoming with knowledge of her husband being involved in something serious,' according to a search warrant affidavit obtained by CNN affiliate KARE and reviewed by CNN. She later told law enforcement that she had received messages from her husband in the early morning hours instructing her to take the kids to her parents' home because people with guns may come to their house, the documents say. She told authorities that Vance Boelter had recently bought masks for his security business and still owned the police-like vehicle the suspect used in his alleged attacks. During their investigation, special agents with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension applied for warrants to track Boelter's WhatsApp account and review his Amazon purchases, according to the documents. Boelter was a 'prepper,' and had given his wife a 'bailout plan' in case of 'exigent circumstances,' an FBI agent investigating the case said in another recently unsealed affidavit. The affidavit does not imply that Boelter's wife knew about his alleged plans to attack the lawmakers, and she has not been charged with any crime. After the shootings, investigators found two handguns, passports for Jenny Boelter and her children and about $10,000 in cash in the vehicle she was in when she met with law enforcement, according to the affidavit. During an interview, Boelter's wife said that she received a group text message from Boelter in a thread with their children. 'Dad went to war last night … I don't wanna say more because I don't wanna implicate anybody,' one text from Boelter to members of his family read, according to a federal complaint unsealed last week. It took less than two days for authorities to identify and locate Boelter. But in those 43 hours, they obtained numerous search warrants that offer new insight into the massive multi-agency effort to find and locate the alleged gunman. Authorities found a receipt for a Minneapolis storage unit in the car Boelter allegedly abandoned after the shootout at the Hoffman home, along with a hit list that included the names of abortion providers, pro-abortion advocates and lawmakers in Minnesota and other states. Authorities searched the storage unit and recovered five body bags, four soft-side gun cases, a gray tarp and gun cleaning supplies, according to a search warrant. Authorities also searched the area around the Hoffman home and recovered a light-colored mask and a brown-haired wig in nearby woods, as well as a thigh holster, a replica Beretta and a conceal and carry badge. A search of Boelter's property in Sibley County, in the town of Green Isle, recovered nearly 50 firearms, a ghillie camoflagesuit and nearly $18,000 in cash. He also had at least 12 vehicles registered to him at his home in Sibley County. Officials were tracking a cellphone they believed belonged to the suspect when they received a call from an unexpected location — a local home improvement store. Boelter turned off his cellphone right after the killings, but turned it on the next day, according to the documents. As law enforcement officers closed in on the cellphone's location, they received a tip that the phone was at a Home Depot in a Minneapolis suburb, where employees were trying to find its owner. Authorities responded and collected the iPhone 13 as evidence. Boelter was found at 7:30 p.m. June 15 after a Sibley County resident spotted him on a trail camera. Authorities were able to spot him using infrared technology on a drone. Once found, Boelter 'crawled' to law enforcement and was taken into custody without incident. He remains in custody at the Sherburne County Jail. CNN's Hanna Park and Jennifer Feldman contributed to this story
Daily Mail
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Minnesota gunman's wife breaks silence on claims she tried to flee his shocking crimes
The wife of the Minnesota gunman who killed a state representative and her husband said she did not try to flee after he committed his alleged crimes. Jenny Boelter, who was accused of hopping in a car after her husband allegedly gunned down Democratic State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark on June 14, said she did not run and was not pulled over. Instead, she insisted she went to meet police at a local gas station just hours after her husband allegedly opened fire. Vance Boelter, 57, also allegedly shot Democratic State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette at their home in Champlin, Minnesota that same day. They both survived but were left with injuries. On Thursday, Jenny released a statement through her lawyers, calling her husband's alleged actions 'a betrayal.' 'On behalf of my children and myself, I want to express our deepest sympathies to the Hortman and Hoffman families. Our condolences are with all who are grieving during this unimaginably difficult time, and we are praying daily for them,' she wrote in the statement. 'We are absolutely shocked, heartbroken and completely blindsided. This violence does not at all align with our beliefs as a family. It is a betrayal of everything we hold true as tenets of our Christian faith. 'We are appalled and horrified by what occurred and our hearts are incredibly heavy for the victims of this unfathomable tragedy.' 'On the morning of June 14, 2025, I received a call from law enforcement and immediately drove to meet agents at a nearby gas station. We were not pulled over; we parked and waited until they arrived. When they did, we voluntarily agreed to meet with them, answer their questions, provide all items they requested, and cooperate with all searches.' Jenny added that her family has fully cooperated with investigators and responded to their every request ever since they were first contacted by authorities. She ended her statement by thanking the authorities for 'apprehending Vance and protecting others from further harm.' Her shock statement comes after it was previously reported that Jenny was stopped by authorities at a convenience store while driving a car with three other relatives inside near Onamia at 10am that day. She was found with a weapon, ammunition, cash and passports about 75 miles from where the shootings took place in Brooklyn Park and Champlin, Minnesota, eight hours earlier. Over a dozen officers swarmed Jenny Boelter's car during the traffic stop and they were at the scene for two to three hours, sources told KSTP. Jenny was detained for questioning after officers found the items inside the vehicle. No one was arrested, law enforcement officials said. Yvette, who thankfully survived the shooting with her husband, said both of them and their adult daughter Hope were lined up execution-style by the alleged gunman to 'slaughter' them. Hope, who Yvette shielded with her own body while bullets rang out, witnessed her parents get shot and was the one who called 911 to report the brutal crime, Yvette said in a startling new Facebook post. Yvette, an educational support professional at a local elementary school, went on to slam police for not pressing more charges against Boelter - specifically the 'attempted murder' of her daughter. 'Our daughter Hope was lined up with John and myself execution style. We were all together in our entryway in a row with our hands up,' she wrote. 'She may not have gotten shot because of all the commotion but she was front and center WITH us. After we were incapacitated, she knew to go lock the door and call police and inform them senator Hoffman and mom were shot. Where are the attempted murder charges regarding my daughter? Where?' Boelter has only been charged with two counts of second-degree murder for the slayings of the Hortman's and two of attempted murder for Yvette and John. The enraged mother went on to mention that Hope even had to stress that her father was a senator several times to the 911 dispatcher that dreadful morning. 'If Hope hadn't intentionally said SENATOR Hoffman the 4 times I remember her saying it to 911 dispatchers. More people would have been slaughtered,' Yvette said. Roughly 90 minutes after the Hoffman's were targeted, the gunman made his way to the Hortman's Brooklyn Park home - about eight miles from the first incident. According to Yvette, Hope was 'the reason officers knew to go to Hortman,' she wrote. They were tragically killed after Boelter allegedly opened fire on them in their home around 3am. Police encountered the gunman fleeing Hortman's residence around 3.35am and exchanged gunfire with him. Officers then let the suspect slip through the cracks as he escaped the scene on foot, according to authorities. Shortly after the unspeakable slayings, Boelter, a former appointee of Governor Walz, was sought by authorities. He surrendered to officers on June 15 after they located him in the woods near his home, bringing an end to a massive, nearly two-day search that put the entire state on edge. He was arrested and booked into Hennepin County custody on state charges. Acting US Attorney Joseph Thompson announced six new federal charges against Boelter for murder, stalking, and shooting offenses - while revealing that he went to two other lawmakers' homes with the intent to kill them that day. He is accused of posing as a police officer during the shootings. Boelter is also said to have worn a terrifying Halloween-style face mask during the attacks. Both Yvette and the senator were left injured. She was released Friday while her husband remains in the hospital in serious but stable condition. John was shot nine times while his bride was shot eight times. A bullet narrowly missed his heart, KARE 11 reported.
