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New York Post
17 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Assassinated Dem Rep. Melissa Hortman, husband lie in state alongside beloved dog in Minnesota Capitol
Minnesota Democratic Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband laid in state in the Minnesota Capitol alongside their beloved golden retriever, Gilbert, Friday, two weeks after the three were allegedly assassinated by a crazed gunman with a political grudge. Hundreds of mourners passed through the stately rotunda in Saint Paul to pay their respects to the three victims of the June 14 assassination — the same day their accused killer appeared in federal court in a suicide prevention smock. Hortman, 55, is the first woman to lie in state at the Capitol Rotunda. Gilbert's gold urn was in between the flower-adorned caskets of her and her husband, Mark, 58, which were flanked by law enforcement officers. The rescue dog is the first animal to lie in state in the Minnesota Capitol. The three were gunned down at their Brooklyn Park home, near Minneapolis, in a politically motivated attack that also wounded another Democratic state lawmaker and his wife. 5 The caskets of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, flanked the golden urn for their beloved rescue dog, Gilbert, in the Minnesota State Capitol on June 27, 2025. Minnesota House of Representatives Advertisement 5 The Hortmans and Gilbert were gunned down on June 14 in a politically motivated attack. via REUTERS 5 The couple's rescue dog, Gilbert, is the first animal to lie in state in the Minnesota Capitol. Gofundme Gravely wounded Gilbert was later euthanized. After the largest manhunt in state history, authorities apprehended and charged Vance Luther Boelter for the slayings. Prosecutors have painted the 57-year-old as a crazed extremist — who was a political appointee of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz — with a hit list containing more than 40 state and federal officials. He allegedly dressed as a cop before driving to the homes of three lawmakers, including state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, whom Boelter allegedly shot and severely wounded before moving on to the Hortmans' house. Advertisement Disturbing images shared by the FBI allegedly showed Boetler wearing a creepy latex mask during the targeted shootings. He was nabbed after an intense manhunt and faces multiple state and federal counts of murder and attempted murder. He could receive the death penalty if convicted. 5 Vance Boelter is taken into custody the day after the shootings. via REUTERS 5 The mug shot of accused assassin Vance Luther Boelter. via REUTERS Advertisement Boelter appeared in federal court in Saint Paul on Friday morning, before his alleged victims were honored in the state Capitol, for a hearing to determine if he would be eligible for bail. But the defendant, in a green jumpsuit and anti-suicide smock, appeared worse for wear, and his defense convinced the court to postpone the hearing to July 3. His lawyers decried his 'horrible conditions' in lockup, including having no pillow to sleep on, constantly slamming doors and lights on through the night. 'Your Honor, I haven't really slept in 12 to 14 days,' KMSP quoted him as saying. Boelter also insisted that he is not and never has been suicidal.
18 hours ago
- Politics
Slain lawmaker becomes 1st woman to lie in state at Minnesota capitol as suspect appears in court
Minnesotans are lining up at the state capitol on Friday to honor a slain lawmaker and her husband as their accused killer made a brief appearance in court. Democratic Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were shot dead in their home on June 14, are lying in state at the Minnesota State Capitol. Melissa Hortman is the first woman to lie in state, according to the Minnesota House of Representatives. Next to the Hortmans was their golden retriever, Gilbert, who was wounded in the attack and later had to be euthanized, officials said. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and first lady Gwen Walz are among those paying their respects. Former Vice President Kamala Harris will attend the couple's private funeral on Saturday, according to a source familiar with Harris' plans. Harris spoke to the Hortmans' two children, Sophie and Colin, in the last week "to express her deep condolences and offer her support," the source said. Meanwhile, the Hortmans' alleged killer, Vance Boelter, who faces federal charges including stalking and state charges including first-degree murder, briefly appeared in federal court on Friday. Boelter alleged the conditions in jail have kept him from sleeping for 12 to 14 days, according to Minneapolis ABC affiliate KSTP. Boelter claimed the doors are slammed incessantly, the lights are always and that he sleeps on a mat without a pillow, KSTP reported. He also allegedly said an inmate next to him spreads feces, KSTP reported. The judge agreed to push back Boelter's hearing to July 3, according to KSTP. Boelter has not entered a plea. Boelter is accused of shooting and killing the Hortmans at their home in Brooklyn Park and shooting and wounding Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their house in nearby Champlin in the early hours of June 14, authorities said. Boelter, 57, allegedly showed up to their doors, impersonating a police officer and wearing a realistic-looking latex mask to carry out his "political assassinations," prosecutors said. Investigators recovered a list of about 45 elected officials in notebooks in his car, according to prosecutors. Two other lawmakers were spared the night of the shootings, officials said.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Slain lawmaker becomes 1st woman to lie in state at Minnesota capitol
Minnesotans are lining up at the state capitol on Friday to honor a slain lawmaker and her husband as their accused killer made a brief appearance in court. Democratic Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were shot dead in their home on June 14, are lying in state at the Minnesota State Capitol. Melissa Hortman is the first woman to lie in state, according to the Minnesota House of Representatives. Next to the Hortmans was their golden retriever, Gilbert, who was wounded in the attack and later had to be euthanized, officials said. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and first lady Gwen Walz are among those paying their respects. Former Vice President Kamala Harris will attend the couple's private funeral on Saturday, according to a source familiar with Harris' plans. Harris spoke to the Hortmans' two children, Sophie and Colin, in the last week "to express her deep condolences and offer her support," the source said. MORE: Wife of Minnesota lawmaker shooting suspect speaks out: 'Completely blindsided' Meanwhile, the Hortmans' alleged killer, Vance Boelter, who faces federal charges including stalking and state charges including first-degree murder, briefly appeared in federal court on Friday. Boelter alleged the conditions in jail have kept him from sleeping for 12 to 14 days, according to Minneapolis ABC affiliate claimed the doors are slammed incessantly, the lights are always and that he sleeps on a mat without a pillow, KSTP reported. He also allegedly said an inmate next to him spreads feces, KSTP reported. MORE: Chilling details emerge in Minnesota shootings as Vance Boelter faces federal charges: 'Stuff of nightmares' The judge agreed to push back Boelter's hearing to July 3, according to KSTP. Boelter has not entered a plea. Boelter is accused of shooting and killing the Hortmans at their home in Brooklyn Park and shooting and wounding Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their house in nearby Champlin in the early hours of June 14, authorities said. MORE: Minnesota shooting suspect started as a frustrated idealist, his writings show Boelter, 57, allegedly showed up to their doors, impersonating a police officer and wearing a realistic-looking latex mask to carry out his "political assassinations," prosecutors said. Investigators recovered a list of about 45 elected officials in notebooks in his car, according to prosecutors. Two other lawmakers were spared the night of the shootings, officials said. ABC News' Ahmad Hemingway and Brittany Shepherd contributed to this report.
19-06-2025
- Politics
Minnesota state Sen. Hoffman credits daughter for 'saving countless other lives'
Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife are crediting their daughter Hope for "saving countless other lives" on the night the couple was shot and wounded at their home in what prosecutors called an assassination attempt. "Without Hope, we wouldn't be here right now," the Democratic state senator and his wife said in a statement on Wednesday, according to Minneapolis ABC affiliate KSTP. "Our daughter's quick instincts and wherewithal to state that her dad is Senator John Hoffman when she called 911 led the police getting to the Hortman's so quickly and saving countless other lives." Vance Boelter is accused of shooting and wounding John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their house in Champlin, Minnesota, as well as shooting and killing state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, at their home in nearby Brooklyn Park early Saturday morning, authorities said. Boelter allegedly showed up to their doors impersonating a police officer, officials said. But two other lawmakers were spared the night of the shootings, according to acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Joseph Thompson. After Boelter allegedly shot the Hoffmans, prosecutors said he drove to a state representative's house in Maple Grove. That lawmaker was not home as she and her family were on vacation, Thompson said, and Boelter left the scene. Boelter then allegedly drove to a state senator's home in New Hope and parked on the street, Thompson said. After learning of the shooting at Hoffman's home, New Hope police dispatched an officer to the New Hope lawmaker's house, Thompson said. When the officer arrived, she saw Boelter's car parked down the block and she believed Boelter was an officer dispatched to the scene, Thompson said. The officer pulled up next to Boelter, rolled down her window and tried to speak with him, but he did not respond and stared straight ahead, Thompson said. So the New Hope officer drove to the state senator's home and waited for other law enforcement, and by that time, Boelter had left the scene, Thompson said. After learning of the shooting at the Hoffmans', officers were proactively dispatched the Brooklyn Park home of his fellow lawmaker, former Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives Melissa Hortman. When two Brooklyn Park officers arrived at the Hortmans', they saw Boelter's SUV in the driveway with emergency lights flashing and Boelter standing in front of the house, Thompson said. Boelter saw the officers and allegedly started shooting and running into the house, killing Melissa Hortman and her husband, Thompson said. The officers fired at Boelter as he allegedly rushed into the home, Thompson said, but the suspect escaped into the house and out the back. Boelter, who was arrested Sunday night, allegedly had a list of 45 elected officials in notebooks in his car, Thompson said. He faces federal charges including stalking and firearms charges and state charges including first-degree murder, officials said. The Hoffmans are recovering from their injuries. John Hoffman was shot nine times and Yvette was shot eight times, Yvette said, according to a message released by Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar.
The Sun
17-06-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Suspected killer of Minnesota lawmaker to face 1st degree murder charges
WASHINGTON: Prosecutors in Minnesota plan to bring first-degree murder charges against the suspected killer of a Democratic state lawmaker and her husband, officials said Monday. 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. 'Our office intends to pursue first-degree murder charges against Mr. Boelter,' Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty told a press conference. 'The penalty would be life without parole.' She thanked law enforcement personnel who mounted the largest manhunt in state history before apprehending him without using force late Sunday. 'People were understandably terrified over the last couple days,' she said. Boelter is also suspected of shooting state Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette in their home. They survived despite multiple gunshot wounds and were being treated for serious injuries, authorities said. Boelter was taken into custody in a rural area about an hour southwest of the Minneapolis suburbs where the killings occurred, police and state officials said. SWAT teams used drones to identify the suspect's location, and officers crawled through ditches in the area's farm fields to confine him, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported. He was being held at Hennepin County jail and was scheduled to appear in court at 1:30 pm (1830 GMT) on Monday, jail records showed. Moriarty said Boelter was due to be handed over to federal officials and that federal charges were also expected. '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. The attacks renewed fears of growing political violence in America. 'I am concerned about all our political leaders, political organizations,' US Senator Amy Klobuchar, who represents Minnesota, 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. '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,' Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said after the arrest. 'This cannot be the norm. It cannot be the way that we deal with our political differences.' The shootings shook the nation on a day when hundreds of thousands of protesters across the United States took to the streets to rally against Trump, as he presided over a military parade in Washington. 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.'
