The search for Vance Luther Boelter, a 57-year-old man accused of fatally shooting Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, has now entered its second day. Authorities are actively pursuing him following attacks that occurred early Saturday morning in Champlin and Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.
Law enforcement agencies gathered at a baseball park in Green Isle, Minnesota, on June 15, 2025, as the search intensified. The attacks not only involved the Hortmans but also left State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, injured. Reports suggest that an alleged target list containing the names of numerous Minnesota Democrats, including Governor Tim Walz, U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar, U.S. Senator Tina Smith, and Attorney General Keith Ellison, was discovered in Boelter’s vehicle.
The FBI has stepped in, offering a $50,000 reward for information that may lead to Boelter’s arrest. Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans urged the public to report any sightings of Boelter immediately, stressing, “Do not approach him. You should consider him armed and dangerous.”
Search teams have uncovered a “vehicle of interest” in Sibley County, not far from Minneapolis, along with personal items linked to Boelter, according to law enforcement sources. Photos obtained by ABC News show Boelter at a home he allegedly visited on the morning of the attacks.
In an interesting turn, police detained Boelter’s wife for questioning after stopping her vehicle near Onamia, but she was later released with no charges.
Investigators believe Boelter may have posed as a law enforcement officer to gain entry to the lawmakers’ residences, using a police-like vehicle that featured flashing emergency lights. The tragic events unfolded around 2 a.m. Saturday when Senator Hoffman and his wife were shot multiple times at their home. Shortly after, the Hortmans were targeted at their home.
Authorities suspect Boelter wore a latex mask during the shootings. Following the incident at the Hoffmans’ residence, police were dispatched to check on Hortman’s welfare, only to encounter Boelter, resulting in an exchange of gunfire. The suspect escaped on foot, leaving behind his disguised vehicle, which contained the targeted list.
Both Yvette and John Hoffman are reportedly recovering. Associates have relayed that Yvette is conscious and doing “relatively well,” while John remains alert after undergoing treatment for a collapsed lung. Boelter, who has a military background and leadership experience with a private security company, Praetorian Guard Security Services, is now considered a person of interest by the authorities.
This story is still developing, and updates will follow as more information becomes available.