WASHINGTON, D.C. — LAW enforcement officers in Minnesota are investigating what appears to be a politically motivated attack that left one state lawmaker injured and another dead.
The suspect, identified as 57-year-old Vance Boelter, remains at large. Authorities say Boelter, dressed as a police officer, approached the homes of two Democratic state lawmakers in the early hours of the morning.
State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were fatally shot at their home. In a separate incident, State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also targeted. Both Hoffman and his wife underwent emergency surgery and are reported to be in stable condition. Officials remain hopeful about their recovery.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, in a media conference, condemned the shootings as a “politically motivated assassination.”
"This was an attack of targeted political violence," Walz emphasized. "Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don't settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint."
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans stated that the first emergency call came in around 2:00 a.m., reporting a shooting at Senator Hoffman’s residence. A second call, at 3:35 a.m., alerted police to the shooting at Representative Hortman’s home. Officers reportedly exchanged gunfire with the suspect during the second incident, but Boelter managed to flee.
The attacks have sent shockwaves across the nation, as investigators work to confirm whether the lawmakers were intentionally targeted for political reasons.
