Minnesota lawmaker who survived shooting shares harrowing account of how the attack unfolded
Gun violenceFacebookTweetLink
Follow
Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, shared details of the harrowing morning nearly a week ago when a man in a silicone mask who knocked on their door and identified himself as a police officer shot them repeatedly.
In a statement released Thursday night and obtained by CNN affiliate KARE, the couple publicly describes for the first time the targeted shooting in their Champlin, Minnesota, home that left them critically injured.
The night before the shooting, the Hoffmans had returned home from a dinner hosted by the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and went to bed, the statement said. But they were awakened around 2 a.m. Saturday by someone pounding on the front door and shouting, asking to enter and identifying himself as a police officer, the family recounted.
When the door opened, the couple and their adult daughter, Hope, were standing in the entryway. When the shooter pointed a gun directly at John Hoffman, the senator lunged at the gunman, and he was shot nine times, according to the statement.
'As John fell, Yvette reached out to push the man and shut the door,' and 'she was also hit eight times by gunfire,' the statement said.
That's when Hope Hoffman raced to shut the door and secure the lock. She then called 911, telling the operator the senator had been shot in his home, triggering 'the notice to public safety officials that a politically-motivated act was potentially underway,' the family said.
Prosecutors say suspected gunman Vance Boelter visited the homes of at least four Minnesota lawmakers, attempting to kill the Hoffmans and fatally shooting state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman.
After the shooting, both John and Yvette Hoffman underwent surgery, according to officials. John Hoffman 'is in critical but stable condition; Yvette Hoffman is in stable condition, as well,' the family statement said.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz told reporters at an event Thursday he expected Yvette Hoffman to be released from the hospital that day. No one by Yvette's name is currently at Mercy Hospital, where she had been treated after the shooting, a spokesperson with Allina Health told CNN.
Earlier this week, Yvette Hoffman told US Sen. Amy Klobuchar in a text message that she and her husband were 'incredibly lucky to be alive,' Klobuchar shared on her social media. Yvette said at the time her husband had endured 'many surgeries' and is 'closer every hour to being out of the woods.'
Boelter, 57, allegedly had a hit list of dozens of targets, which were largely Democrats or figures with ties to Planned Parenthood or the abortion rights movement, officials said. The search for Boelter lasted 43 hours and was the largest manhunt in Minnesota history. He faces six federal charges and four state charges.
The Hoffman family said in their statement they are deeply grateful '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, starting with our own officers in Champlin and Brooklyn Park.'
They added that they are 'heartbroken' by the killing of Melissa and Mark Hortman. Hope Hoffman went to school with their daughter, Sophie Hortman. '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,' John and Yvette Hoffman said.
A GoFundMe account benefiting the Hoffman family was set up by Fernbrook Elementary School. The family said it will help them 'pick up the broken pieces of our lives.'
'We are uplifted by the prayers and support from so many across the state of Minnesota and the country: thank you,' the family said.
While they realize that working in the public sector means sacrificing a certain level of privacy, the Hoffmans said they are now '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 statement said. 'The future for our children depends on that. We will be praying for that work and appreciate all those who will join with us.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
a minute ago
- CBS News
Real ID applications in Minnesota taking over 3 months to process, state says
The highly publicized Real ID deadline has passed, but the system is stuck in Minnesota, and for thousands of residents, the wait is far from over. A spokesperson for the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, which oversees the Department of Driver and Vehicle Services, said they continue to receive a high volume of REAL ID applications, and the reason for the backlog is that there are too many applications and not enough staff. In April, more than 100,000 applications were submitted, with 76,000 more in May. Only 24 workers statewide are processing the documents. Right now, the processing time is more than 90 days. "If this is the direction they are going for IDs, just going forward, they need to kind of get the process down a little faster," said Mariah Scarle. Scarle applied two months ago and is still empty-handed. For Chey Eisenman, the wait has gone from inconvenient to nearly impossible. Eisenman runs a limousine business and often drives clients to and from the airport. She's now more than 100 days into waiting for her Real ID. The delay has been so long that her temporary paper license is now expired. "If it takes much longer, I may go in and do a standard driver's license renewal," Eisenman said. Real ID remains a federal requirement to fly and access secure buildings. Anyone without a Real ID or passport could face extra security checks before their next flight. State officials say they are looking at ways to ease the backlog, and want to remind people the Real ID process takes longer than a standard ID because of added security standards.
Forbes
a minute ago
- Forbes
Columbia, Dartmouth, And The Politics Shaping College Admissions
Low Memorial Library and Quad, Columbia University, New York City, New York, USA. (Photo by: ... More Photographer name/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) The 2025-2026 Common Application will launch on August 1, 2025, marking the official start of an increasingly politicized admissions cycle. This year, families are weighing more than rankings and acceptance rates. With elite universities facing federal investigations, many parents, administrators, students, and applicants are asking: How will the political climate affect application decisions, and what kind of campus experience can students expect upon arrival? Title VI Investigations Intensify Political Pressures on Campus In May 2024, the Biden administration reported that it had opened investigations into 100 higher education institutions for violations of the 1964 Title VI Act, alleging instances of antisemitism on college campuses. Now, over a year later, the Trump administration has deployed Title VI against sixty different higher education institutions, this time for infractions relating to the abolition of DEI initiatives countrywide, as well as for select cases of antisemitism. But whereas the Biden administration leveraged a cooperative approach with universities, supporting internal assessment and adjustment, the Trump administration has taken a more forceful approach. According to Forbes contributor Michael T. Nietzel, some elite institutions have experienced what he describes as 'painful' consequences following coercive 'federal shakedowns.' As a result of these conflicts, prospective students, domestic and international, face new and unexpected hurdles as they consider schools that were, just a short time ago, no-brainers for most applicants. Columbia's Settlement: A Price for Compliance On July 23, 2025, Columbia University agreed to pay $200 million to the federal government and begin submitting compliance reports to an externally appointed administrator. While the Columbia declined to admit any wrongdoing, the university pledged to 'reform' its approach to antisemitism through enhanced safety measures on campus. The university framed the settlement as part of a wider effort to reinstate hundreds of millions of dollars in frozen federal funding and restore its ability to apply for regular federal funding opportunities, but current students, alumni, and prospective applicants may view Columbia's decision differently. Zooming out, this settlement may be just the beginning. Harvard, too, remains under investigation for 'allowing anti-Semitic harassment and discrimination to persist unchecked,' and the Department of Education has threatened to review its accreditation. Unlike Columbia's conciliatory approach, Harvard has responded to these new threats, along with $2 billion worth of federal funding cuts, by suing the administration. While some prominent voices have praised Harvard's response, prospective students may be concerned about the potential ramifications of this ongoing dispute. For Families, Culture Is Now a Key Filter As families plan college visits and students weigh whether or not to apply to their top-choice school in the binding Early Decision round, questions about the broader culture and ethical commitments of each institution are taking on a new urgency. In the past, this type of scrutiny often focused on state politics. For instance, some prospective students have reportedly avoided universities in Florida or Texas due to legislation impacting classroom content and restrictive abortion laws. Now, though, cultural and political concerns have shifted from the local environment to individual institutions themselves, even those in traditionally progressive states. For example, both the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Berkeley are facing heightened scrutiny for their responses to campus protests and federal investigations. Meanwhile, institutions in red states, like the University of Kentucky and Tulane University, have also drawn attention from the Trump administration, specifically for their affiliation with the 'Ph.D. Project,' a nonprofit organization that supports students from underrepresented backgrounds. It's still too early in the admissions cycle to know whether these dynamics will significantly shift application numbers. But one thing is clear: families are increasingly weighing brand alignment alongside more traditional concerns like rankings, costs, and location. Ivy League schools, in particular, are being compared based on cultural and political identity. Just as consumers might think twice about supporting a company based on its social stances—whether that's buying a Patagonia vest or eating at Chick-fil-A—students and parents are using college selection to express values and identity. What These Federal Crackdowns Mean for Campus Life When assessing colleges, students and families should consider how increased administrative oversight may directly shape campus life. The impact will vary widely depending on a student's identity, field of study, and the kind of college experience they're seeking. STEM-focused undergraduate students, and graduate students in all fields, are most likely to feel the effects of the Trump administration's funding cuts because they will directly impact research and teaching assistant opportunities. For example, the $2 billion removed from Harvard University's budget threatens a number of high-profile medical and scientific studies. And in March 2025, the University of Pennsylvania lost a significant source of funding when Trump issued an executive order that affected the National Institute of Health's revenue and found itself in the awkward position of having to rescind graduate student offers. Indeed, it's telling that Columbia's Office of the President cited federal grant eligibility as a key reason for agreeing to the administration's demands. Students who claim a minority identity and/or are not U.S. citizens will need to research individual school policies as well as any current pending legal action on the part of the administration. Harvard's quarrel with Trump is the extreme example: in March, the administration revoked the university's ability to grant travel visas, though Harvard's deal with the University of Toronto may circumvent this issue for now. Students seeking identity-based communities on campus will need to stay informed about current school policies that may affect these organizations and affinity groups. Currently, universities are unclear about whether they will be able to provide financial support to clubs that specify a membership identity, such as those affiliated with the University of Michigan's Office for Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs. At elite institutions, students may feel increased scrutiny, not only from the press but also from within their universities. If other schools follow Columbia's lead in appointing an external monitor, it could signal broader shifts in how disciplinary matters and protests are handled—something to consider for socially minded prospective students. Increased oversight may also change how student data is handled: many of the universities under investigation, including Columbia, the University of Virginia, and George Mason University, have been asked to hand over international student and disciplinary records. Prospective students with infractions on their record or who are not U.S. citizens may need to consider how this increased oversight could affect them directly. The silver lining to this instability could be a diversification in where top students choose to apply and ultimately study. Families looking for a top-tier education without the harsh glare of the national spotlight are considering the 'New Ivies,' small liberal arts colleges, or Canadian options like the University of Toronto or the University of British Columbia, which have seen a notable rise in U.S. applicants. Dartmouth: A Contrast with Columbia Dartmouth College Admissions Office in Hanover, New Hampshire. (Photo by) While many colleges and universities nationwide are feeling the effects of mounting federal oversight, Columbia and Dartmouth offer two of the most visible and contrasting case studies to make headlines this month. Under President Sian Beilock, Dartmouth College has adopted a policy of 'institutional restraint,' emphasizing that administrators should speak on behalf of the college only sparingly. The approach draws on the University of Chicago's 1967 Kalven Report, which argued that universities should refrain from taking public stances on political issues to protect academic freedom and viewpoint diversity. Dartmouth, dubbed the 'Ivy League's Switzerland,' has declined to join peer institutions in signing public letters condemning recent federal actions related to higher education. This includes a widely circulated April 2025 statement opposing what academic leaders described as 'unprecedented government overreach.' Beilock and her administration have framed Dartmouth's decision not as a political endorsement but as an effort to preserve dialogue across perspectives. While praised by some as a strategic move to avoid federal sanctions and preserve campus continuity, Dartmouth's choice has also drawn critique. 'Dartmouth's stance of 'institutional restraint' is a double-edged sword for prospective students and their families,' says Maria Laskaris, Senior Private Counselor at Top Tier Admissions and former Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Dartmouth College. 'Some may appreciate the focus on academic freedom and diverse viewpoints, but others will see the new policy as a lack of engagement on critical societal issues. Either way, the policy likely influences their perception of the College's values and alignment with their own.' For many prospective students, Dartmouth's approach to this political moment will shape not only whether they apply, but how they imagine their place within its community. The Bottom Line for Applicants For students and families navigating a high-stakes, emotionally charged admissions process, these developments represent yet another curveball. What does a school's public stance, or strategic silence, say about the campus experience it offers? Whose voices are protected—or policed—once students arrive? This application cycle, students are being asked to weigh not just where they'll thrive academically, but what kind of institutional culture they're stepping into and how that decision will reflect on them.
Fox News
a minute ago
- Fox News
Trump admin official analyzes the public's response to Trump's economic success
Counselor to the Treasury Secretary Joe Lavorgna discusses approval ratings for President Donald Trump's economy on 'The Ingraham Angle.'
