The release of the full transcripts from the 911 call made after the attack on Minnesota State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife offers a deeper understanding of the harrowing events and highlights the crucial role their daughter played in responding to the crisis. The details emerged after a persistent legal battle by Minnesota media outlets, which successfully argued for more transparency beyond the heavily redacted versions initially provided in July.
The incident unfolded in the early hours of June 14, when John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, answered their door around 2 a.m. to find a man who appeared to be a police officer. Tragically, this was a disguise; the man was a gunman who shot John Hoffman nine times and Yvette eight. Despite the darkness, they quickly realized, albeit too late, that the assailant was wearing a mask and was not law enforcement, as detailed in the transcripts obtained by KARE-TV.
Their daughter, Hope, played a pivotal role in the aftermath. Her urgent call to 911 captured the immediacy and gravity of the situation. “SHOT, SHOT, MY PARENTS HAVE BEEN SHOT,” she exclaimed, her voice filled with panic. Hope explained to the dispatcher that an imposter, dressed as a police officer, had attacked her parents and stressed the urgency of their need for help.
When asked if she recognized the gunman, Hope emphatically responded that they did not, emphasizing the disguise with, “NO, THEY WERE MASKED!” This crucial exchange underscores the confusion and terror experienced during the attack.
This newly released information sheds light on the swift action taken by Hope to summon help and the broader implications of such incidents for public safety and response protocols. The full transcripts not only provide a more comprehensive account of the events but also underscore the importance of transparency in understanding and responding to such tragic occurrences.
The dispatcher asked if she knew who the gunman was, and Hope repeated that they’d been shot and replied, “NO, THEY WERE MASKED!”
“Both your parents?” the dispatcher asked.
“YES, BOTH OF THEM,” Hope replied. “PLEASE HURRY, PLEASE!”
Then she spelled out her surname, telling them, “My dad is Senator John Hoffman. Mom, are you alive? Did they shoot your heart? Or hit the organs?” and another voice replied, “Yes.”
Hope Hoffman relayed all that while tending to her parents, who both survived the shooting. She also told authorities she suspected her father had been targeted because of his political position and that the family’s security cameras might provide valuable footage of the gunman’s vehicle — information that officials said saved other lives.
However, the transcript has raised questions about how police relayed the information to other elected officials and to each other. About 90 minutes later, alleged gunman John Boelter fatally shot former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, just as cops arrived.
Local police are facing scrutiny about why the Hortmans weren’t warned during those 90 minutes that a would-be killer was on the loose and allegedly hunting prominent politicians. State agencies told KSTP that they’ll investigate law enforcement’s response.
