Latest news with #JohnHoffman
South China Morning Post
an hour ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Suspect in shooting of Minnesota lawmakers in custody after manhunt
A massive two-day manhunt ended on Sunday with the arrest of Vance Boelter, 57, for allegedly killing a Minnesota Democratic state lawmaker and her husband while posing as a police officer, Governor Tim Walz said. Boelter allegedly shot dead Melissa Hortman, the top Democrat in the Minnesota House, and her husband, Mark, in their home on Saturday - a crime Governor Tim Walz characterised as a 'politically motivated assassination'. Authorities said Boelter also allegedly shot and wounded another Democratic lawmaker, state Senator John Hoffman, and his wife Yvette at their home a few kilometres away. 'After a two-day manhunt, two sleepless nights, law enforcement have apprehended Vance Boelter,' Walz told a news conference. 'One man's unthinkable actions have altered the state of Minnesota. Melissa Hortman (pictured) and her husband, Mark, were killed on Saturday. John Hoffman (pictured) and his wife, Yvette, were injured at their home. Photo: Minnesota State Legislature via AFP 'A moment in this country where we watch violence erupt, this cannot be the norm. It cannot be the way that we deal with our political differences. Now is the time for us to recommit to the core values of this country, and each and every one of us can do it.'
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
US enforcers nab suspect two days after fatal shooting of Democratic politician and spouse
Suspect killer has been named as Vance Boelter, 57 He was arrested in Sibley County, a rural area about an hour southwest of the Minneapolis suburbs where the double murders happened Notebook with names of politicians found in suspect's car Trump condemned the attacks on his political rivals, says 'may call' them WASHINGTON, June 16 — US law enforcement officials in Minnesota caught the suspected killer of a Democratic state lawmaker and her husband on Sunday, authorities said, ending a two-day manhunt. The suspect, 57-year-old Vance Boelter, allegedly disguised himself as a police officer, then shot and killed Democratic state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark at their home early Saturday. Boelter was captured in Sibley County, a rural area about an hour southwest of the Minneapolis suburbs where the murders had occurred, police and state officials said. 'After (a) two-day manhunt, two sleepless nights, law enforcement have apprehended Vance Boelter,' Minnesota Governor Tim Walz told a late-night news conference. Police described the search as the 'largest manhunt in (the state's) history', with 20 SWAT teams and several agencies working to find him. Jeremy Geiger, assistant chief of the Minnesota State Patrol, told reporters that Boelter had been 'taken into custody without the use of force.' Before the murders, Boelter also allegedly attacked two others nearby – state Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, who survived and were treated for serious injuries, authorities said. 'The latest news is Senator Hoffman came out of his final surgery and is moving toward recovery,' Walz told reporters. Hoffman was shot nine times and Yvette eight times, according to US Senator Amy Klobuchar. 'Politically motivated' A notebook containing the names of other lawmakers and potential targets was found inside a car left by Boelter at the Hortmans' home, which Drew Evans, head of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said earlier Sunday was not a 'traditional manifesto.' 'I am concerned about all our political leaders, political organizations,' Klobuchar said Sunday. 'It was politically motivated, and there clearly was some throughline with abortion because of the groups that were on the list, and other things that I've heard were in this manifesto. So that was one of his motivations.' As speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2019 to January 2025, Hortman was committed to legislation that protected reproductive rights in the state, local media reported. A picture of murdered Democratic state assemblyman Melissa Hortman (right) and her husband Mark is placed in a memorial on June 15, 2025. — Reuters pic 'Cannot be the norm' The United States is bitterly divided politically as President Donald Trump embarks on his second term, implementing hardline policies and routinely insulting his opponents. Political violence has become more common. Trump himself survived an assassination attempt last year, with a second attempt foiled by law enforcement. Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's home was set on fire this year. An assailant with a hammer attacked the husband of then-US House speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2022. '(This is) a moment in this country where we watch violence erupt,' Walz said after the arrest. 'This cannot be the norm. It cannot be the way that we deal with our political differences.' US Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who was attacked by a neighbor in 2017, told NBC that 'nothing brings us together more than... mourning for somebody else who's in political life, Republican or Democrats.' The shootings came on the day a dramatic split screen showed a country divided: hundreds of thousands of protesters across the United States took to the streets to rally against Trump as the president presided over a military parade in Washington – a rare spectacle criticized as seeking to glorify him. Trump has condemned the attacks in Minnesota on the lawmakers and their spouses. The president was asked in a Sunday interview with ABC News if he planned to call Walz, who was Kamala Harris's running mate in the election Trump won last year. 'Well, it's a terrible thing. I think he's a terrible governor. I think he's a grossly incompetent person,' Trump said. 'But I may, I may call him, I may call other people too.' — AFP
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Man suspected of shooting Minnesota lawmakers arrested after huge manhunt
A 57-year-old man has been arrested in the US state of Minnesota on suspicion of killing a Democratic state lawmaker and her husband. The arrest on Sunday night was the culmination of a huge two-day manhunt following the deaths of Melissa Hortman, a Minnesota Democrat, and her husband Mark. State Governor Tim Walz called it a "politically motivated assassination". Police said Vance Luther Boelter was armed at the time of his arrest in a rural area west of Minneapolis, but gave himself up peacefully when challenged. The suspect is also alleged to have shot and wounded Democratic State Senator John Hoffman, and his wife Yvette, who are both now awake in hospital. Mrs Hoffman said on Sunday that both felt "incredibly lucky to be alive". Boelter was detained after investigators found a car he allegedly used in Sibley County, about 50 miles (80km) from the murder scene in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. Air and SWAT teams were deployed to arrest the suspect in what was described as the largest manhunt in Minnesota's history. No police officers were injured during his apprehension, and officials said they were not looking for any other suspects. What we know about the Minnesota shootings Minnesota assassination survivor and husband shot 17 times Speaking at a press conference with other local officials on Sunday night, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said the attack was an "unspeakable act" that had "altered the state of Minnesota". "This cannot be the norm. It cannot be the way that we deal with our political differences," Walz said. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey praised the "skill and bravery" of law enforcement agencies following Boelter's arrest. "Political violence is abhorrent, it cuts against the most basic moral fabric of our democracy. It's critical that those who commit these acts be held accountable under the law," he added. Boelter is accused of impersonating a police officer to carry out the attacks on Saturday, before exchanging fire with police officers and fleeing from the area of suburban Minneapolis. Melissa Hortman had served in the Minnesota House of Representatives for 20 years, and was speaker of the chamber from 2019 to 2025. Boelter, a former political appointee, was once a member of the same state workforce development board as Hoffman. He is a security contractor and religious missionary who has worked in Africa and the Middle East, according to his online CV. Boelter once preached as a pastor at a church in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to Facebook photos. Investigators reportedly found a list of "targets" in the vehicle that the suspect is thought to have driven for the alleged shootings. Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, told reporters that he would not describe the notebook found in the car as a "manifesto" as it was not "a treatise on all kinds of ideology and writings". Local media have reported that the names included Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, congresswoman Ilhan Omar, and state Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. At the press conference following Boelter's arrest, Evans did not specify who was featured on the list, but said that state officials had contacted authorities in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska and Iowa so that they could "notify individuals that were on that list".
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fake Cop Murders Top State Dem and Husband and Shoots Second
Two Democratic Party lawmakers were shot in separate incidents at their homes in suburban Minnesota by a gunman dressed like a cop early Saturday morning. State Representative Melissa Hortman, 55, and her husband Mark, who were shot at their home in Brooklyn Park, succumbed to their injuries, KSTP reported. State Senator John Hoffman, 60, and his wife Yvette were shot at their home in Champlin, north of Minneapolis. Police have identified the suspected gunman as Vance Luther Boelter, 57, a private security consultant who was also appointed to the Minnesota Governor's Workforce Development Board in 2019. Boelter, who is alleged to have worn body armor during the assault, is now the subject of a massive police dragnet. He is on foot, police said in a press conference. Officers 'exchanged fire' with the gunman after he began shooting at police when they arrived on the scene at Hortman's home. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz described the shootings as 'an act of targeted political violence' at the press conference, adding that 'those responsible will be held accountable' and that he would be working with other officials to ensure 'a tragedy like this never repeats itself.' Hoffman and his wife are now out of surgery. Walz said he is 'cautiously optimistic' they will recover. Both officials had reportedly attended a Democratic dinner with their spouses on Friday night to mark the end of an acrimonious, daylong special session of the Minnesota legislature, during which lawmakers avoided a partial government shutdown after passing a $66 billion budget. Prior to her death, Hortman had served as her party's top official in the state House, and previously as speaker. Hoffman has held his office as state senator for more than 13 years. His nephew, Matt Oleg, told KARE 11 that one of the gunman's bullets had very nearly hit his uncle's heart during the assault. Oleg added that Hoffman's daughter, Hope, had been at the house last night, and that his wife Yvette had been injured by the shots after she 'threw herself on top of her daughter' so that she 'was not hit.' President Donald Trump responded to the incident in a statement posted to X by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. He described it as a 'terrible shooting [...] which appears to be a targeted attack against State Lawmakers,' adding that the matter was already under investigation by Attorney General Pam Bondi and the FBI. 'Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America,' he said. 'God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!' The shootings come just hours before millions are expected to attend a spate of protests across more than 2,000 cities around the country, coinciding with a Washington, D.C., military parade to mark the Army's 250th anniversary, which also happens to fall on Trump's 79th birthday. Police 'have reason to believe' the shooter may have been planning to target today's 'No Kings' demonstrations in the area to protest Trump's parade, a senior state official told The New York Times. Having initially cancelled only one protest in the northeast of Minneapolis, where the shootings took place, organizers have reportedly since called off all planned protests in the city and wider area as the manhunt continues. Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley added that a 'manifesto' and list of names, including those of the two lawmakers who were shot, had been recovered from the shooter's vehicle. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey posted on X that he had been 'in contact with our Commissioner, Chief and safety partners all morning' and that additional police resources had been assigned 'to check on the safety of public officials who may be at risk.' Before they were cancelled, Walz said that 'out of an abundance of caution,' he and his team were 'recommending that people do not attend any political rallies today in Minnesota until the suspect is apprehended.' The governor had posted earlier in the morning that he had been briefed on the incidents, again describing them as 'targeted shootings.' 'The Minnesota Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement are on the scene,' he wrote. 'We will share more information soon.' In a subsequent update, he added that the State Emergency Operations Center has been activated, and that 'local law enforcement in Champlin and Brooklyn Park have the full resources of the State of Minnesota behind them.' 'We are monitoring the situation closely and will share more information soon,' he added. While local authorities have not officially commented on the incident, the Brooklyn Park Police Department, the lead agency on the investigation, sent out a shelter-in-place alert earlier this morning covering a three-mile radius around the neighbourhood's Edinburgh Golf Course. The suspect, believed to have disguised himself as a law-enforcement official, was described prior to being identified as Boelter as a white man with brown hair, wearing black body armor over a blue shirt. He has not been apprehended and is considered armed and dangerous. Authorities have instructed local residents not to answer the door for anyone saying they are police unless there are two officers present and to call 911 to confirm the identity of the officer if there is only one. 'I never thought we'd be here,' local mayor Zach Lindstrom said in a statement on X. 'My prayers are with the Hortman, and Hoffman families. I hope everyone comes out of this ok. I cannot emphasize enough that this is not ok.' 'Any type of violence against elected officials is not ok. Any type of violence against other people is not ok,' he went on. 'My understanding is that its someone cos-playing as a officer [sic] and they haven't been caught. For those going out to protest today please do it safely and if something looks off say something we do not need anyone else to get hurt.' Minnesota Congresswoman Angie Craig, a Democrat, also posted to X, saying she was 'devastated' to hear about the attacks on two 'great public servants and friends' and that she is 'closely monitoring the situation this morning' as well as 'keeping their families, colleagues and loved ones in our prayers.' Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar similarly decried what she described as a 'stunning act of violence' against two of her 'close friends' and expressed gratitude 'for all the law enforcement who are responding in real time' to the shootings. The Daily Beast has reached out to Hortman and Hoffman's offices for comment on the shootings.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Anti-Abortion Assassin Wore Creepy Latex Mask to Murder Dem
The FBI has released new images of Vance Boelter, the man suspected of killing a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband and shooting another, that show the mask he used as part of his ruse. Authorities had previously revealed that Boelter impersonated a police officer during his spree, but new images shared by the FBI on Boelter's wanted poster show that he also wore a latex mask. The images appear to be taken from doorbell or security camera footage. A manhunt is currently underway for Boelter, who is suspected of killing Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband. He is also believed to have shot State Senator John Hoffman and his wife. Boelter fled on foot following a shootout with police at the Hortman home. In his abandoned vehicle, authorities found a list of nearly 70 potential targets, including Governor Tim Walz and Rep. Ilhan Omar, as well as abortion providers and advocates. Like Walz and Ohmar, both Hortman and Hoffman are Democrats. Boelter most recently worked as a director of security patrols for Praetorian Guard Security Services, a company that offers 'residential security patrols' by armed and uniformed guards. Boelter's bio on the company's website states that he has been involved in 'security situations' across the world, including in the West Bank, Southern Lebanon, and Gaza. The 57-year-old's bio also states that, 'He brings a great security aspect forged by both many on-the-ground experiences combined with training by both private security firms and by people in the U.S. military.' In 2019, Boelter was appointed to Minnesota's Governor's Workforce Development Board, which advises the governor on the state's workforce, by Walz. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information that could lead to Boelter's arrest and conviction.
