Minn. senator, wife say they were shot 17 times in attack that killed fellow lawmaker

The Minnesota state legislator who survived an assassination effort past play says helium and his woman were changeable a combined 17 times — conscionable moments earlier the gunman allegedly murdered different lawmaker and her husband.

The chilling caller details were revealed by authorities Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, successful a caller connection wherever they gave much penetration into however they survived the terrifying ordeal successful the aboriginal hours of Saturday morning. 

Accused killer Vance Luther Boelter, 57, besides went to 3 different homes, fatally shooting Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. He was apprehended days aboriginal aft a monolithic manhunt.

Minnesota authorities legislator John Hoffman, right, who survived an assassination attempt, says helium and his woman were changeable a combined 17 times earlier erstwhile Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, left, and her hubby were killed. (Fox 9)

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The Hoffmans said that they had been astatine a Democratic fundraising meal that evening with their girl Hope and were dormant successful their Champlin location erstwhile Boelter allegedly began pounding their doorway and shouting astatine astir 2 a.m. 

They said Boelter identified himself arsenic a constabulary serviceman but past the concern rapidly escalated. 

"When the doorway was opened, each 3 of america were successful the entryway. John initially lunged astatine the gunman arsenic the limb was pointed straight astatine him, getting struck 9 times," the connection obtained by Fox 9 reads. 

"As John fell, Yvette reached retired to propulsion the antheral and unopen the door, succeeding earlier she was besides deed 8 times by gunfire. Hope past rushed to unopen the doorway and secured the lock; she got to the telephone and shared with the 911 relation that Senator John Hoffman had been changeable successful his home. Her brave actions and speedy reasoning triggered the announcement to nationalist information officials that a politically motivated enactment was perchance underway."

WATCH: Suspected Minnesota shooter went to homes of 4 authorities politicians, feds say

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The mates were rushed to the hospital, wherever Sen. Hoffman remains successful critical, but unchangeable condition. His woman is successful unchangeable information and was released from the infirmary connected Thursday, Fox 9 reported. 

After allegedly shooting the Hoffmans, constabulary said that Boelter went to the homes of 2 different lawmakers.

Boelter was equipped with a handgun and dressed successful achromatic assemblage armor, a badge, and a Taser — appearing indistinguishable from existent instrumentality enforcement, according to police.

He arrived astatine different lawmaker’s location astatine astir 2:25 a.m. but cipher was location arsenic the legislator was distant connected vacation.

Bullet holes are seen successful the doorway extracurricular the location of authorities Sen. John Hoffman's location connected June 15, 2025, successful Champlin, Minnesota. Hoffman and his woman were changeable 17 times, they said.  (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)

About 10 minutes later, Boelter went to State Sen. Ann Rest’s location successful New Hope, wherever a constabulary serviceman was already connected the country and interacted with him, and helium yet left. 

He past targeted Hortman successful her Brooklyn Park home at astir 3:30 a.m. wherever constabulary said helium killed the couple.

Police arrived connected the country soon afterward and Boelter fired connected police, who returned occurrence earlier Boelter ran backmost into the location and past fled.

Vance Boelter mugshot divided with surveillance footage of alleged gunman (Sherburne County Sheriff's Office; Minnesota Department of Public Safety)

The attacks person rocked the authorities and the Hoffmans paid tribute to the Hortmans, who they said were adjacent friends. 

"We are heartbroken to cognize that our friends Melissa and Mark Hortman were assassinated," the connection continues. "Our girl Hope and Sophie Hortman went to schoolhouse together, and we cognize that they – on with Colin Hortman [their son] -- volition person each other’s enactment arsenic we each enactment done the devastating consequences of that horrific night.

They said they are grappling with the world that we unrecorded successful a satellite wherever nationalist work carries risks of being targeted due to the fact that of a quality of opinion.  

"As a society, arsenic a nation, arsenic a community, we indispensable enactment unneurotic to instrumentality to a level of civility that allows america each to unrecorded peacefully," they said. "The aboriginal for our children depends connected that. We volition beryllium praying for that enactment and admit each those who volition articulation with us."

Boelter, meanwhile, is charged federally with 2 counts of stalking, 2 counts of murder using a firearm, and 2 further firearm-related charges. He besides faces second-degree execution charges successful Hennepin County, wherever prosecutors accidental they volition question first-degree murder.

Prosecutors said that officers recovered respective firearms, including assault-style rifles and a ample quantity of ammunition, erstwhile they searched his SUV. Searches of his SUV and location uncovered notebooks containing a database of much than 45 Minnesota authorities and national elected officials, including Hortman.

Police person not revealed a singular motive. Documents suggest Boelter harbored beardown anti-abortion beliefs and absorption to pro-choice politicians.

Federal prosecutors released images they said were from Minnesota lawmaker shooting fishy Vance Boelter's notebooks successful a transgression complaint, June 16, 2025. (Department of Justice)

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Boelter remains detained successful national custody pending the June 27 hearing. 

Meanwhile, constabulary were conducting further searches of Brooklyn Park connected Friday arsenic they effort to portion unneurotic precisely what happened, the Brooklyn Park Police Department said successful a statement. 

Hundreds of radical gathered extracurricular Minnesota’s Capitol connected Wednesday for a vigil to retrieve the Hortmans.