Suspects charged with “targeted” shooting by Minnesota Sen.
Vance Boelter faces six charges, including murder and stalking, after being told he had “targeted” two Minnesota state legislators at his home.
Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman has been released from hospital, according to multiple reports after being shot nine times in June by a gunman suspected of killing another lawmaker and his spouse.
Hoffman was released from hospital intensive care units and moved to a rehabilitation facility, where his family said in a statement to several media outlets on July 7. Hoffman’s family shared photos of the senator and gave a thumbs up while standing in front of a hospital room with a suitcase.
“John has been moved to a rehabilitation facility, but there is still a long way to go to recover,” the family said in a statement, according to the Associated Press, CNN and MPR News.
A spokesman for the Hoffman family did not immediately respond to a request for comment on USA Today on July 8th.
He was stanced as a law enforcement officer to access the homes of victims in the Minneapolis area at the time before dawn on June 14th. Authorities later said Vance Bolter, 57, shot Hoffman and his wife Yvette multiple times, leaving them seriously injured inside their home.
Authorities also accused Boerter of going to another state legislator’s house, and denounced elected officials of vehicles that fit a vehicle similar to a police squad vehicle. He was unable to contact the two officials and then went to the home of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark.
Authorities say Belter killed both of them and seriously injured the dog. Authorities call the attack a targeted “political assassination.”
What happened to Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman and his wife?
According to a 20-page affidavit filed in federal court, at about 2am on June 14, Bolter drove to Hoffmans’ house in Shamplin about 20 miles northwest of Minneapolis. He changes the black SUV with emergency lighting and fake license plates, resembling a police team, the affidavit says.
According to the affidavit, video footage from Hoffmans’ home showed Bolters approaching the door while wearing a disguise that included a black tactical vest, a flashlight and a flesh-colored mask that covered the entire head. He knocked on the door and screamed repeatedly. “This is police. Please open the door,” the affidavit states.
According to the affidavit, John and Yvette Hoffman came to the door and Belter said he was there inside the house in response to reports of the shooting. After a brief exchange, Yvette Hoffman looked closely at Boerter and noticed that he was wearing a mask.
Upon realizing this, the affidavit states that “one or both of Hoffmans” told Bertert that he was not a real police officer. In response, Belter said, “This is a robbery,” according to the affidavit.
Yvette Hoffman later told authorities that her husband tried to push Boerter back into the front door, but Boerter shot him multiple times before pointing the gun at her, the affidavit says. At about 2:06am, Hoffman’s adult daughter called 911 to report that her parents had been shot by a masked gunman.
Shooting suspect faces federal, state accusations
Investigators say Bolter “experienced research” and planned the June 14 attack. According to the affidavit, he reportedly compiled a list of mostly democratic state lawmakers and their addresses and purchased a cache of weapons.
Belter was arrested on the night of June 15th after a fierce manhunt and remained in custody without bail. He faces state and federal charges in connection with attacks that include multiple numbers of murders and stalkers.
Although authorities have not provided any motivation, Minnesota Gov. Tim Waltz said the shooting “seems to be a politically motivated assassination.” Officials across the country also condemn the incident, calling it an act of political violence targeting elected officials.
Prosecutors said Bolter’s murder amounted to a “political assassination” and that he could face the death penalty if he was convicted of federal charges in the shooting. Minnesota abolished the death penalty for a century, but federal murder charges owes the greatest punishment of the death penalty.
Contributors: Christopher Can, Janine Sanchucci, Jorge L. Ortiz, USA Today
