Authorities have taken 57-year-old Vance Boelter into custody in Sibley County. He's the suspect in the targeted fatal shootings of Minnesota House DFL leader Melissa Hortman and her spouse, and the shooting of state Sen. John Hoffman and his spouse.
During her two decades in elected office, Melissa Hortman positioned herself as a consensus builder and DFLer willing to work with Republicans. “Everybody liked her and respected her on both sides of the aisle,” said former GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
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🧑🏻⚕️ State Sen. Hoffman awake after surgery for multiple gunshot wounds. Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were shot multiple times early Saturday morning. Health care providers believe they will survive the attack.
🔍 Suspect in Hortman’s assassination visited international hotspots, has ties to private security firms. Boelter is listed as the CEO of Red Lion Group, which is based in Congo, and he’s listed as a part of the leadership team at Praetorian Guard Security, which provides armed home security in the Twin Cities.
🕯️ Grief, anger prevail in reactions to killing of House DFL leader Hortman. Gov. Tim Walz said “our state lost a great leader, and I lost the dearest of friends. Speaker Hortman was someone who served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, humor and a sense of service.”
🪧 Amid warnings from state officials following shootings, crowds show up for ‘No Kings’ rallies in Minnesota. State officials urged people to not attend planned “No Kings” protests across Minnesota. Despite the warning, an estimated 25,000 - 30,000 people showed up at the Capitol on Saturday afternoon
