The FBI has released chilling pictures of the masked man who was dressed as a police officer and shot two Minnesota politicians and their partners in their homes.
Melissa Hortman, former Speaker of the Minnesota House, and her husband Mark were gunned down inside their Brooklyn Park home in a chilling double shooting that’s being described as a politically motivated assassination.
Shortly after 2AM on Saturday (June 14), police arrived to find Mark clinging to life and Melissa already dead. Mark later died despite lifesaving attempts from first responders.
Just minutes earlier, Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette had been shot multiple times in their Champlin home, about eight kilometers away. Both survived emergency surgery and are now in stable condition.
Yvette was hailed as a hero after she reportedly threw herself over their daughter, Hope, during the attack.
“A bullet just very nearly missed Senator Hoffman’s heart,” Matt Oleg, a relative, said, adding: “Hope was not hit,” per News.com.au.
Police believe the man responsible for the horrific shooting is Vance Luther Boelter, 57, a former appointee to the state’s Workforce Development Board and now the subject of a multi-agency manhunt.
The FBI has released shocking images of a masked man dressed like a police officer, stalking victims’ homes with a flashlight. They are offering a $50,000 reward for tips leading to Boelter’s arrest, The Mirror reported.
Boelter allegedly posed as a cop, complete with flashing emergency lights on an SUV resembling a squad car, a badge, a vest, and a Taser.
“It was not a real police officer,” said Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley. “This is someone who used the trust of this badge and uniform to manipulate his way into the home.”
When officers encountered him at the Hortman residence, the suspect immediately opened fire before fleeing on foot.
Inside his abandoned vehicle, authorities uncovered a manifesto, “No Kings” flyers, and a hit list of nearly 70 names - including elected officials, doctors, and community leaders.
It's been reported that just before the attacks, Boelter sent a haunting message to roommates at his Minneapolis residence: “I’ll be dead shortly. So I just want to let you know that I love you guys both. And wish it hadn't gone this way.
"I don’t want to say anything more, and implicate you in any way because you guys don’t know anything about this, but I love you guys and I’m sorry for all the trouble this has caused," he added.
His motivations appear steeped in extremism. Though he listed no political affiliation officially, police said he held anti-abortion views and had a history of support for Donald Trump.
Yet the “No Kings” flyers in his car suggested anger toward the Trump administration as well.
Governor Tim Walz, who once appointed Boelter to the board, condemned the killings as “an unspeakable tragedy” and “a politically motivated assassination.”
Walz, who ran as Kamala Harris’ vice-presidential pick in 2024, said the tragedy serves as a grim warning: “The democracy and the debates in the halls of Congress, in state houses, in school boards, is a way to settle our differences peacefully and move society to a better place."
President Donald Trump also responded, saying: “Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!”
Officers urged residents not to open their doors to any single uniformed officer without backup. Hundreds of law enforcement agents, including SWAT and FBI teams, are now involved in tracking down Boelter.
As the dragnet tightened, Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth called the attack “evil” and said she was “heartbroken beyond words.” Bob Jacobson, state public safety commissioner, declared it “a dark day” for Minnesota.