Minnesota assassination survivor and husband shot 17 times

A survivor of Saturday’s deadly attacks on two Minnesota lawmakers says she and her husband are both “incredibly lucky to be alive” after they were hit by 17 bullets.

State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were gunned down at their home early on Saturday morning, but lived. Melissa Hortman – the top Democratic legislator in the state House – and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed.

Yvette Hoffman said in a statement that she and her husband John were “devastated” by the Hortmans’ deaths.

Police are hunting for the suspect, Vance Luther Boelter, who wore a latex mask and posed as an officer to shoot the victims at their homes in suburban Minneapolis, before escaping on foot.

Mrs Hoffman’s statement was shared on Instagram by Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar.

“John is enduring many surgeries right now and is closer every hour to being out of the woods,” Mrs Hoffman wrote.

“He took 9 bullet hits. I took 8 and we are both incredibly lucky to be alive.

“We are gutted and devastated by the loss of Melissa and Mark. We have no words. There is never a place for this kind of political hate.”

Police have not disclosed the killer’s motive.

A Facebook post from someone identifying as Mrs Hoffman’s nephew said she had thrown herself on her daughter during the assassination attempt, “using her body as a shield to save her life”.

According to the Minnesota Star Tribune, the daughter, Hope, is in her 20s and was born with spina bifida, which her father previously cited as motivating him to get into state politics.

On Sunday, police said they had found an unoccupied car linked to the suspect in Sibley County, about 50 miles (80km) from the murder scene.

The discovery of the black sedan was alerted to local residents’ mobile phones in a message that said: “Suspect not located. Keep your doors locked and vehicles secured.”

A cowboy hat, similar to what Boelter, 57, was believed to have been wearing, was found nearby.

Police also said on Sunday that Boelter’s wife had been detained in a traffic stop along with three relatives in a car in the city of Onamia, more than 100 miles from the family home in the rural community of Green Isle, on Saturday morning.

Jenny Boelter was released without being taken into custody because she was co-operative, Drew Evans, of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, told a news conference on Sunday evening.

Police have extended the search over state lines to South Dakota and the FBI has added Boelter to its most-wanted list, issuing a $50,000 reward.

Both of the targeted lawmakers belonged to Minnesota’s Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, which is affiliated with the national Democratic Party.

Authorities said they recovered a target list that included the names of Minnesota Democratic politicians from another vehicle used by the suspect.

Governor Tim Walz, congresswoman Ilhan Omar, Klobuchar and another US Senator, Tina Smith, were on the list – along with state Attorney General Keith Ellison, people familiar with the investigation told local media.

“Clearly, this is politically motivated,” Klobuchar told NBC News’ Meet the Press on Sunday morning.

President Donald Trump, a Republican, told ABC News on Sunday the attack was “a terrible thing”.

Investigators say Boelter was disguised as a police officer when he carried out the attacks and had a vehicle that looked like a police car, equipped with flashing emergency lights.

The gunman first targeted the Hoffmans at their home in Champlin at around 02:00 local time on Saturday, authorities said.

Soon afterwards, Hortman and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed at their home in Brooklyn Park, eight miles away.

Officers arrived at the Hortmans’ home and exchanged gunfire with the suspect at around 03:35. The suspect managed to flee, leaving behind his car, authorities said.

According to Boelter’s CV, he has a background in security and military training and had also been a pastor.

The city of Brooklyn Park was silent on Sunday morning as the neighbourhood came to terms with a suspected political assassination on its doorstep.

A police car was parked outside the Hortmans’ house and bright yellow caution tape surrounded the property.

Taha Abuisnaineh, who lives across the street, said he and his wife had known the family for more than 20 years.

“They were very nice neighbours in a very quiet neighbourhood,” he told the BBC. “You don’t see police activity in this neighbourhood. We are very shocked.”

Two other nearby residents who did not want to be named said the suburban community was reeling.

“My next-door neighbour heard the shots,” said one. “We’ve all been texting back and forth.”

She and her husband described how they received an annual Christmas card from the Hortmans.

“What a big loss for Minnesota,” she said.

In Sibley County, where the suspect’s car was found, local resident Brian Liebhard also told the BBC of his shock.

“This guy needs to get caught,” he said. “I don’t agree with everything they [the two politicians] vote for, but this is sad – the guy went wacko.”