Minnesota lawmaker shootings

Timeline of Vance Boelter’s politically motivated shootings in Minnesota on June 14–15, 2025.

Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed, while state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were critically injured.

Boelter, 57, was last seen in Minneapolis on Saturday morning and should be considered armed and dangerous, police said. He is about 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes, and was thought to be working to leave the Twin Cities area. Images of Boelter captured Saturday morning show him wearing a light-colored cowboy hat, dark long-sleeved shirt or jacket, light-colored pants and dark sneakers.

Anyone with information about these shootings or Boelter’s location should call the Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) tip line at 877-996-6222 or email [email protected]. The public is asked to call 911 immediately if they see Boelter. Do not approach him. The FBI, BCA, Brooklyn Park Police Department and Champlin Police Department along with other local and state law enforcement officials continue searching for Boelter. More information, including photos and Boelter’s description, are in the FBI flyer.

June 14, 2025

2:00 a.m. – Champlin, MN

Vance Boelter arrives at Senator John Hoffman’s home in Champlin, MN, wearing a mask and police-style vest. He knocks and yells, “This is the police. Open the door.” Boelter tells the Hoffmans there was a shooting reported and asks about firearms. Senator Hoffman says they have guns but they are locked up. Mrs. Hoffman notices Boelter is wearing a mask. The couple tells him he is not a real officer. Boelter replies, “This is a robbery.” Senator Hoffman tries to push Boelter out; Boelter shoots him multiple times. Mrs. Hoffman attempts to shut the door but is also shot repeatedly.

2:06 a.m. – Champlin, Minnesota

• Champlin Police respond to a 911 call from Senator Hoffman’s daughter, reporting that her parents had been shot.
• The caller states a masked man claiming to be a police officer knocked on their door and then shot their parents.
• Officers find two gunshot victims inside: Victim 3, male, a Minnesota state legislator, and Victim 4, female, spouse of Victim 3.
• Both are critically injured and hospitalized but alive.
• Surveillance footage shows a Ford SUV with police-style lights in the driveway.
• A man, later identified as Vance Boelter, wearing a mask, blue shirt, tactical vest, and carrying a yellow-gripped gun, knocks on the door and announces himself as a police officer before entering and shooting.
• Boelter flees in the police-style SUV.

2:24 a.m. – Maple Grove

• Boelter rings the doorbell at the home of Public Official 1 wearing tactical gear and announces a fake warrant. While ringing the doorbell, Boelter loudly says, “This is the police. Open the door. This is the police. We have a warrant.” He repeats the command several times. Nobody is home. Boelter leaves the residence.

2:36 a.m. – New Hope

• Police unknowingly encounter Boelter sitting silently in a black SUV near Public Official 2’s home. They mistake him for another officer.

3:35 a.m. – Brooklyn Park, MN, 9 miles away

• Police, aware a state legislator was attacked in Champlin, proactively send units to protect other lawmakers.
• Upon arrival at the residence of a second legislator, officers observe the same Ford SUV parked.
• They witness Boelter, still dressed as a police officer, shoot a man, Victim 2, through the open front door. Boelter fired those shots as he moved into the house. A second set of gunshots can be heard, and several flashes appear in the entryway windows.
• A gunfire exchange ensues between officers and Boelter.
• Inside, officers find Victim 2, male, deceased, and Victim 1, female, also deceased and a state legislator.
• Boelter flees the Hortmans’ home, leaving behind his 2015 Ford Explorer SUV parked outside the house. Officers find evidence tying Boelter to the SUV, including a bill for a storage unit with Boelter’s name. Officers also find license plates for the SUV. Public records show the SUV is registered to Boelter and his wife.

5:30 a.m. – Brooklyn Park

• A shelter-in-place is issued near Edinburgh Golf Course due to the active manhunt. Source

6:00 a.m. – Minneapolis

• Boelter appears at his rented room in north Minneapolis and texts a roommate: “I may be dead shortly.”
• He leaves the residence before police arrive. Source

6:18 a.m. – Text Messages

• Vance Boelter sends a group text message to his family. In that text, Boelter writes, among other things: “I don’t wanna say more because I don’t wanna implicate anybody.”
• Boelter then texts his wife Jennifer Boelter, “Dad went to war last night…” and warns her that armed law enforcement may come.

7:00 a.m. – Bus Stop

• Boelter meets a man at a bus stop, buys an e-bike and Buick sedan, and withdraws $2,200 from U.S. Bank while caught on surveillance in a cowboy hat.

Morning between 10:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. – Onamia, MN

• Boelter’s wife is stopped during a traffic check with relatives. A searched vehicle reveals two handguns, $10,000 cash, and passports. Passports and cash are seized. She is questioned but released.

“Our law enforcement partners from the metro that are working this case became aware that she was traveling through my county, and they requested assistance in locating and stopping a vehicle,” Sheriff Kyle Burton said, referring to Boelter’s wife, Jenny Boelter.

Burton said the stop occurred between 10:30 and 11 a.m. outside the Casey’s convenience store just off Hwy. 169 in Onamia, about 110 miles north of the Boelters’ home near Green Isle. Source

1:00 p.m. – Statewide

• Officials name Vance Luther Boelter, 57, as the prime suspect. Source

1:30 p.m. – Champlin

• Police clear the Hoffman residence, completing their on-site investigation.

1:45 p.m. – Minneapolis

• A search warrant is executed at Boelter’s part-time rental home in Minneapolis. Source
• Boelter had vehicles at the home and broke out one of the windows, but it is not clear if he left the area in one of the vehicles. Authorities say the image of him wearing a cowboy hat is from surveillance cameras at the Minneapolis home. Source

2:00 p.m. – Green Isle, MN

• Tactical units deploy to Boelter’s primary residence as authorities intensify the manhunt. Source

3:00 p.m.

• Boelter is officially labeled a “person of interest” and suspect by law enforcement. Source

3:03 p.m. – St. Paul

• Gov. Tim Walz calls the shootings a “politically motivated assassination.” Source

3:20 p.m. – Brooklyn Park

• Brooklyn Park authorities clear the shelter-in-place order. An alert sent to people living in the area asks people to call 911 if they see something suspicious. Police remain in the area collecting evidence. Mercy Hospital remains on lockdown.

3:50 p.m. – Hennepin County

• The Hennepin County Medical Examiner releases initial reports for the Hortmans, saying Melissa Hortman, 55, and Mark Hortman, 58, both died of multiple gunshot wounds. Mark Hortman died at North Memorial Hospital, while Melissa Hortman died at her home.

4:00 p.m.

• The FBI offers a $50,000 reward for information leading to Boelter’s arrest and conviction. Source

9:00 p.m.

• Hospital reports confirm Yvette Hoffman is awake and alert. Source

11:14 p.m.

• Chaska Police Department posts an update advising the public that if they are unsure whether someone is a real police officer, they should call to verify. Source

June 15, 2025

2:30 a.m. – Green Isle

• Possible e-bike sighting in Green Isle. A Buick is later found abandoned nearby.

7:00 a.m.

• Boelter meets a man at a bus stop, buys an e-bike and Buick sedan, and withdraws $2,200 from U.S. Bank while caught on surveillance in a cowboy hat.
• The manhunt resumes, drawing multi-agency support including FBI, U.S. Marshals, BCA, and State Patrol.

10:50 a.m. – Faxon Township, Sibley County

• A black sedan linked to Boelter is discovered near Highway 25 and 301st Avenue. A cowboy hat is recovered nearby. Source
• The vehicle is searched, and investigators recover evidence relevant to the case, though details are not disclosed.
• Officers search nearby homes and wooded areas on foot.
• An emergency alert orders local residents to lock doors and shelter in place.

5:30 p.m. – Officials give update on search for Vance Boelter

• Minnesota DPS Commissioner Bob Jacobson and BCA Superintendent Drew Evans brief the media during a press conference Sunday evening at the State Emergency Operations Center in Blaine.
• Boelter remains at large, armed and dangerous, with nationwide warrants and a $50,000 FBI reward active.
• Officials urge anyone spotting him not to confront him under any circumstances and to call 911 immediately.
• The search focuses on the Sibley County area after discovery of his car and personal effects.

9:00 p.m.

• Alerts are sent to phones in the Green Isle area stating, “MN shooter spotted on foot … in military gear and armed near the 355 block of 200th St. Lock your doors and shelter in place.”
• Vance Boelter, 57, was spotted on a trail via camera earlier Sunday.

10:00 p.m. – Sibley County Alert

• Sibley County alert reports the Minnesota shooter spotted on foot in military gear and armed near the 355 block of 200th Street. Residents are told to lock doors and shelter in place. Source

10:14 p.m.

• Law enforcement takes Vance Boelter into custody in a field in Sibley County.
• Boelter is tracked by officers into a wooded area in rural Sibley County.
• A drone spots him in an open field.
• Upon seeing the drone and nearby tactical teams, Boelter raises his hands and walks toward law enforcement.
• He is taken into custody without further incident near a SWAT vehicle.
• Boelter was armed when he was taken into custody.

10:56 p.m.

• Chaska Police Department posts a statement recognizing two officers on the regional SWAT team who helped track the fugitive through Green Isle. Source

11:30 p.m.

• A press conference is scheduled in Blaine with Gov. Tim Walz and other officials.
• Police say they continue to look into whether anyone helped Vance Boelter.
• Authorities say Boelter crawled to police after being spotted.

According to the Affidavit of Probable Cause, Boelter had three AK-style rifles, a 9mm handgun, mask, gold police badge in his car left at the scene of Rep. Hortman’s murder. He was the listed purchaser of four of the firearms. Source

On or about June 14, 2025, at approximately 2:05 a.m., Champlin Police officers responded to a shooting at a residence in Champlin, Hennepin County, Minnesota. The 911 caller reported that a masked person had come to their door and then shot their parents. Inside the residence, officers found two adults, male and female, who had been shot, referred to as Victim 3 and Victim 4. Victim 3 is a state legislator.

Video surveillance footage from the exterior of the residence showed a Ford SUV with police-style lights parked in the driveway. It also showed a man, later identified as Vance Luther Boelter, wearing a mask, a blue shirt, and a police-style tactical vest with a badge and yellow-gripped gun approach the front door with a flashlight. Defendant knocked on the door and announced himself as a police officer before entering the house and shooting Victims 3 and 4. The surveillance footage showed Defendant flee the residence and enter the police-style vehicle. Victim 3 and Victim 4 are alive and remain hospitalized.

A short time later, Brooklyn Park Police learned of the Champlin shooting. Because one victim was a state legislator, police proactively sent patrol officers to another state legislator’s home in Brooklyn Park. When officers arrived at approximately 3:35 a.m., they saw the Ford SUV with police-style lights and immediately saw Defendant, still dressed as a police officer, shoot an adult man referred to as Victim 2 through the open door of the home.

Police exchanged gunfire with Defendant, who fled inside the residence before escaping the area. Inside the residence, officers found two adults deceased from gunshot wounds, Victim 2 and his wife, Victim 1. Victim 1 is also a state legislator. Officers searched Defendant’s vehicle and located at least three AK-47 assault rifles, a 9mm handgun, and a list of names and addresses of other public officials.

Officers canvassed the surrounding area and located a ballistic vest, a disassembled 9mm firearm, a mask, and a gold police-style badge. Defendant is the listed purchaser for at least four of the recovered firearms. Investigators also spoke with a person familiar with Defendant who positively identified him as the man on the Champlin residence surveillance footage.

Boelter faces two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder. He was arrested near his Green Isle home and then brought to Hennepin County overnight. Source

June 16, 2025

1:30 p.m.

• Boelter has a court appearance in Minneapolis and is being held on $5 million bail.
• In Minnesota, a person can only be charged with first-degree murder by a grand jury indictment.
• The Minnesota BCA said the U.S. Attorney’s Office is also interested in pursuing the case at the federal level.
• Boelter, in the custody of U.S. Marshals, is not expected to be present for his first appearance at 1:30 p.m. at the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility in Minneapolis, where state charges will be read.
• Boelter will appear in person at the federal courthouse in St. Paul, where he will face six charges filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

1:30 p.m. – Criminal Duty Hearing

• Judge Docherty appoints a public defender for Boelter due to his financial situation.
• Boelter tells the court he has a part-time job where he makes $540 a week, owns his home, has seven vehicles registered to his name, and about $30,000 in savings.
• Judge Docherty doubts Boelter has the means to mount a proper defense considering the charges he faces.
• Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley Endicott asks that Boelter be held in pretrial detention due to the extremely serious accusations and cites the weekend manhunt.
• Joseph Thompson, acting Department of Justice attorney for the District of Minnesota, calls the killings chilling and the stuff of nightmares.

June 27, 2025

• Boelter’s next appearance in federal court is scheduled for June 27.

Case Records

Original records embed preserved from the source file.

Who is Vance Boelter

Timeline and background details from the original case file.

Vance Boelter, born on July 23, 1967, painted himself as a security expert and spiritual missionary with extensive global and evangelical credentials. His actual background shows a blend of food-service jobs, entrepreneurial ventures, and temporary government appointments. Investigators allege his attacks were politically motivated, targeting Democratic leaders and pro-choice advocates. After his arrest, he faced serious charges and legal scrutiny.

Early Life & Education

• Vance Luther Boelter
• Born: July 23, 1967
• Hometown: Sleepy Eye, Minnesota
• Married: Jenny Lynn Boelter

Education Source

• Attended Christ For The Nations Institute, Christian ministry training.
• Bachelor’s studies at St. Cloud State University.
• Earned M.S. in Management from Cardinal Stritch University.

Ministry & Public Life

1993

• Ordained as a Christian pastor. Source

1990s to 2000s

• Conducted ministry and speaking engagements. Source
• Traveled to conflict zones, including Gaza, West Bank, and Jerusalem, as a Christian speaker.

2006

• Announced planned publication of a book titled Original Ability, exploring spiritual identity from Genesis to Jesus. The book was slated for Spring 2006, but no public release has been verified. Source
• Promoted the book and ministry through the archived Revoformation.com website.

2007

• Registered Revoformation Ministries Inc. as a nonprofit religious organization, EIN 43-2103617. Official name: Revoformation Ministries Inc. Doing Business As: Revoformation Ministries. Source
• The ministry’s name and mission aligned with Boelter’s previously advertised theological focus on spiritual “reformation” through rediscovery of humanity’s “original ability.”

2000s to 2010s

• Worked in the food industry.
• Lived in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, with wife Jenny and four children: Grace, Faith, Hope, and David.

2013

• Lettieri’s plant manager. Source

Security Work & Government Involvement

2016

• Appointed by Governor Mark Dayton to Minnesota’s Governor’s Workforce Development Council, a volunteer-based position elected by a business board and signed by the governor. Source

2019

• Re-appointed by Governor Tim Walz. Source

2020 to 2023

• Claims to have led Praetorian Guard Security Services, a private security firm, though public records suggest it was inactive.
• In 2023, claimed to be Dr. Vance Boelter, E.d.D., CEO of Red Lion Group based in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Source

2021 to 2024

• General Manager at Marathon. Source
• Regional Workforce Development, 10736 Alameda Ave, Inver Grove Heights, MN 55077, 651-455-0012, [email protected]. Source and Andeavor Company
• Claimed via LinkedIn to be active in security consulting and missionary work, including time in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
• Used unmarked vehicles outfitted with police-style lighting.

Behavioral Red Flags & Escalation

2023

• Began expressing increasingly extremist political beliefs.
• Had conflicts with local officials and reportedly surveilled targets.
• Maintained what some described as a fantasy identity of military or law enforcement service.

Businesses

Praetorian Guard Security Services LLC

• Located near the Minneapolis/St. Paul Metro Area.
• Phone: (651) 252-1944.
• Web: www.pguards.net. Archive
• Email: [email protected].

Souljer Security, LLC

• 744 W Riverst, Arcadia, WI 54612.
• Since Nov. 1999.

Revoformation Ministries Inc

• 20198 341st Ave, Green Isle, MN 55338.
• http://revoformation.com
• guidestar.org/profile/43-2103617
• charitynavigator.org/ein/432103617
• Causes: Christianity. Established 1964. Tax ID 43-2103617. NTEE code: Christian.
• Revoformation Ministries Inc., 5544 County Road J, Sheboygan, WI 53083-1731. Since Apr. 2006.

Dr. Vance Boelter – LinkedIn

• CEO Red Lion Group.
• [email protected]
• WhatsApp 17633136494
• www.redliongroupdrc.com. Archived Version

Minnesota lawmaker shootings

Evidence Discovery: Vance Boelter Case.

Key Investigation Findings

• Vehicle discovered: Boelter’s third vehicle, a sedan registered to him and found in Faxon Township, Sibley County, was removed for investigation. Investigators believed it could offer vital clues.
• Additional items found: Law enforcement searched nearby rural properties and found personal belongings, including a cowboy hat matching surveillance images of Boelter.
• Widespread search zones: The manhunt expanded across Minnesota into neighboring states. Authorities screened border checkpoints and deployed hundreds of officers and K-9 teams.

Evidence Recovered

• Home addresses of elected officials, survival gear, and a list of 50 to 70 targeted individuals, including Planned Parenthood and Democratic leaders, were found in a vehicle used in the shootings. Source
• Forensic analysis, including VIN, registration, and roommate statements, tied the sedan in Sibley County to Boelter. Source
• Disguise and modus operandi: Boelter impersonated a police officer, potentially wearing a latex mask, and used vehicles resembling law enforcement to approach targets. Source

Suspect Profile

• Text messages to roommates, including “I may be dead shortly,” indicate premeditation, remorse, and mental distress. Source
• His background includes roles in security, evangelical ministry, prior service on the Governor’s Workforce Development Board, and potential extremist views. Source

June 14, 2025

2:00 a.m. – Champlin, MN

• Senator John Hoffman and wife Yvette were shot multiple times in their home.
• Initial evidence recovered included multiple .223 and 7.62mm shell casings outside and inside the residence.
• Surveillance video showed a vehicle resembling a police SUV leaving the scene.
• Yvette Hoffman managed to call 911 and provided details about the attacker’s disguise, including police-like clothing and a bald or masked appearance.

3:35 a.m. – Brooklyn Park, MN

• State Rep. Melissa Hortman and husband Mark were fatally shot in their home.
• Security cameras captured a dark-colored vehicle with flashing lights parked outside.
• Hortman’s doorbell camera captured a man in a police uniform with a badge and sidearm.
• The crime scene was processed for entry method, with the front door forced with tactical precision.
• Boelter’s fingerprints were lifted from the doorframe and shell casings.

Later that morning

• A manifesto and hit list were discovered in a fake police vehicle abandoned near the Hortman residence.
• The manifesto mentioned approximately 70 names, including local and state lawmakers, abortion providers, and Planned Parenthood clinics.
• The manifesto referenced extremist anti-government and anti-abortion ideology.
• Other recovered items included tactical gear, a latex disguise mask, CB-style radio, and “No Kings” flyers referencing sovereign citizen ideologies.

June 15, 2025

Early Morning – Brooklyn Park PD Briefing

• Officials confirmed the use of disguise gear and impersonation tactics.
• Forensics lab began analysis of shell casings, mask for DNA, car fibers, and digital devices pulled from the vehicle.

Afternoon – Sibley County, MN

• A third vehicle registered to Boelter, a gray sedan, was discovered abandoned in Faxon Township, about 60 miles southwest of the crime scenes.
• An immediate lockdown of the rural perimeter was ordered.
• The vehicle was towed to a forensic facility under heavy guard.

Contents of Sedan

• Cowboy hat matching the one seen in surveillance footage.
• Tactical vest with ammo pouches.
• Crumpled envelope containing receipts and burner phone SIM cards.
• USB flash drive with PDF versions of the manifesto and maps.
• Packets labeled “K2” or “spice,” with testing underway.

Late Evening – Evidence from Hoffman Residence

• Ballistics match between chamber marks on bullets from both crime scenes.
• Use of a military-grade suppressor, possibly 3D printed.

Digital Forensic Teams

• RCFL and BCA teams begin analyzing USB flash drive and CB dash cam recovered from Boelter’s vehicle.
• Teams scrub through deleted phone data recovered from previous devices tied to Boelter.
• DNA results pending from mask and weapons grip.
• ATF confirms at least two rifles were purchased using a forged ID. Source
• Serial numbers on one weapon were partially removed, requiring tool mark comparison.
• FBI confirms Boelter’s digital footprint includes visits to extremist forums and possible connection to encrypted messaging groups on platforms like Telegram and Matrix.

Google Maps Links Showing Confirmed Discovery Locations

Champlin, MN – Senator Hoffman Home

• Incident: shell casings recovered following shooting around 2:00 a.m. on June 14.
• View on Google Maps – Champlin area, approximately 109th Ave N and Douglas Ave N

Brooklyn Park, MN – Representative Hortman Home

• Incident: fake police vehicle recovered; disguise, manifesto, and AK-style weapons seized around 3:35 a.m.
• View on Google Maps – Brooklyn Park location, near Edinbrook Pkwy N and Vickors Crossing N

Faxon Township, Sibley County, MN – Abandoned Sedan & Hat

• Incident: Boelter’s dark sedan and cowboy hat discovered June 15; area secured and searched.
• View on Google Maps – Faxon Township / rural Sibley County

Champlin and Brooklyn Park are roughly 9 miles apart in the northern Minneapolis suburbs. Source

The Faxon Township finding is about 40 to 50 miles southwest of Minneapolis in rural Sibley County.