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The spouse of a senator from Minnesota displayed remarkable bravery by protecting their daughter from a gunman who invaded their house while donning a frightening disguise.
Yvette Hoffman, who is married to Democratic State Senator John Hoffman, shielded their adult daughter, Hope, as alleged attacker Vance Boelter, 57, unleashed several rounds inside their Champlin, Minnesota residence.
Disguised as a law enforcement officer with a mask reminiscent of Halloween, the shooter narrowly missed hitting Yvette’s major organs, resulting in both her and her daughter being urgently transported to the hospital with severe injuries.
Mat Ollig, the couple’s nephew, revealed Yvette’s courageous act in a Facebook post following the shooting, calling the suspect a ‘vile piece of sh**.’
‘Early this morning, an absolute vile piece of sh** dressed as a cop broke into my aunt and uncle’s house and shot him 6 and my aunt 5 times in a political act of terrorism,’ Ollig wrote.
‘My aunt threw herself on her daughter, using her body as a shield to save her life.’
Both the senator and his wife are out of surgery and recovering. A bullet narrowly missed Senator Hoffman’s heart, KARE 11 reported.
Roughly 90 minutes after the Hoffmans were targeted, the gunman made his way to the Brooklyn Park home of Democratic State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark – about eight miles from the first incident.
Yvette Hoffman (middle), the wife of Democratic State Senator John Hoffman (right), leaped on top of the couple’s adult daughter Hope (left) while alleged assassin Vance Boelter, 57, fired several shots at the couple inside their home in Champlin
The gunman, who dressed as a cop with a Halloween-style mask on his face (pictured), missed Hoffman’s vital organs by just inches as they were both rushed to the hospital with serious injuries
The couple (pictured) are both out of surgery and recovering. A bullet narrowly missed Senator Hoffman’s heart
They were tragically killed after Boelter allegedly opened fire on them in their home around 3am.
Police encountered the gunman fleeing Hortman’s residence around 3.35am and exchanged gunfire with him.
Officers then let the suspect slip through the cracks as he escaped the scene on foot, according to authorities.
Shortly after the unspeakable slayings, police said Boelter, a former appointee of Governor Walz, was being sought by authorities.
He was found and arrested on Sunday night.
What you need to know about the political assassinations that have rocked Minnesota:
- Boelter is wanted for the killings of Democratic State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark in Champlin.
- The suspect also shot and wounded Democratic State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette in nearby Brooklyn Park.
- Cops first responded to a call about the shooting at Hoffman’s home at around 2am on Saturday.
- They then went to check Hortman’s home where they spotted the suspect.
- The suspect, dressed in police gear, engaged officers in a gun battle before retreating inside the house and then fleeing out the back on foot.
- The FBI believes the attacks were politically motivated and is offering a $50,000 reward for Boelter.
- Cops found several rifles in Boelter’s vehicle and believe he may still be armed with a pistol. Inside the car they found handmade ‘No Kings’ flyers.
- He emptied his bank account before the attacks, according to a federal law enforcement official.
- It comes as anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ protests were taking place across the US. Boelter was a Trump supporter and opposed abortion, according to his roommate.
- Inside his car cops found a hit list of prominent abortion rights campaigners, many of them Democratic lawmakers.
- Donald Trump called the shootings ‘terrible’ after being briefed on the matter. ‘Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America,’ the president said.
Around 10am Saturday, Boelter’s wife Jenny was stopped by authorities at a convenience store while driving a car with three other relatives inside in Onamia.
She was found with a weapon, ammunition, cash and passports about 75 miles from where the shootings took place eight hours earlier.
Over a dozen officers swarmed Jenny Boelter’s car during the traffic stop and they were at the scene for two to three hours, sources told KSTP.
Jenny was detained for questioning after officers found the items inside the vehicle. No one was arrested, law enforcement officials said.
Whether Boelter’s vehicle was stopped randomly or whether it was being tracked by police is still unclear.
Roughly 90 minutes after the Hoffmans were targeted, the gunman made his way to the Brooklyn Park home of Democratic State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark – about eight miles from the first incident. They were tragically killed
Shortly after the unspeakable slayings, police said Boelter, a former appointee of Governor Walz, was being sought by authorities
Boelter emptied his bank account before the attacks, according to a federal law enforcement official.
Vance and Jenny Boelter both previously worked under Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, according to Legistorm.
The Boelters lived with each other on a rural property in Sibley County, near the small town of Green Isle.
Vance Boelter – who is a Trump supporter – also lived part-time at a rental on Fremont Avenue in north Minneapolis with two roommates, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Trump called the shootings ‘terrible’ after being briefed on the matter. ‘Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America,’ the president said.
The FBI believes the attacks were politically motivated and is offering a $50,000 reward for Boelter.
Cops found several rifles in Boelter’s vehicle and believe he may still be armed with a pistol.
They also found handmade ‘No Kings’ flyers inside his car. It comes as anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ protests were took place across the US Saturday.
His best friend and roommate David Carlson told local news outlet KARE11 he is an avid Trump supporter and voted for the Republican candidate.
He also described the suspect as a Christian who opposes abortion.
Jenny, Boelter’s wife (pictured together), was pulled over around 10am on Saturday with a weapon, ammunition, cash and passports inside the vehicle. No one was arrested
Inside his car cops also found a hit list of prominent abortion rights campaigners, many of them Democratic lawmakers.
The night before the deadly shots were fired, Boelter texted his roommates he was ‘going to be gone for a while.’
Carlson, who shared a North Minneapolis home with Boelter, tearfully read aloud text messages from the accused assassin.
‘David and Ron, I love you guys,’ the eerie note began. ‘I made some choices, and you guys don’t know anything about this, but I’m going to be gone for a while.’
He also said he ‘may be dead shortly’ and did not wish to involve Carlson or his other roommate Ron Ramsey.
‘I don’t know why he did what he did,’ Carlson told the outlet.
‘It’s just it’s not Vance. … He had lots of friends, trust me, and I wish I could have been there to stop him.’
The FBI believes Boelter is attempting ‘to potentially flee’ the Twin Cities – Minneapolis and St. Paul, The Washington Post reported.
