Minnesota shootings live: Utterly TERRIFYING way Halloween mask-wearing suspect plotted killing

Late on Saturday afternoon, released new images of the suspect allegedly wearing a Halloween-style mask during the shootings.

Boelter posed as a police officer and wore a terrifying mask over his face at the slayings in the early hours of Saturday morning, police said.

Law enforcement are offering a reward of $50,000 for information leading to Boelter, as they admitted he had slipped through the net and is feared to have fled the area.

High school yearbook photos of the man who allegedly shot and killed Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, and critically injured Senator John Hoffman and his wife, have emerged.

A young Vance Boetler was seen smiling in several snaps.

Alleged lawmaker shooter Vance Boelter texted his roommates he was ‘going to be gone for a while’ the night before two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses were gunned down in their homes.

David 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.

Records show the man accused of shooting Democratic lawmakers and their spouses served on the same state board as one of the victims.

Both suspect Vance Boelter and Senator John Hoffman, who survived being shot but was critically injured, were on the Workforce Development Board together.

Meeting minutes reviewed by The New York Times reveal they attended a virtual meeting together three years ago to discuss the post-COVID job market.

The alarming list of 70 potential targets found by investigators inside shooting suspect Boelter’s car featured doctors, healthcare centers and Planned Parenthoods, The New York Times reported.

Several former and current politicians, as well as Minnesota community and business leaders, were also listed. Some targets were reportedly out of state.

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar described State Rep. Melissa Hortman as a kind and assertive leader who was ‘friends with everyone.’

Klobuchar reflected on the life and career of her close friend Hortman, telling CBS she gracefully balanced her hectic career along with being a mother and a wife.

‘Melissa somehow balanced it all, being a Girl Scout leader, a Sunday school teacher, raising these kids and then moving up in the legislature to become Speaker of the House,’ she said.

She said that Hortman ‘took charge in a very kind way’ and was admired by both Democrats and Republicans.

Holding back tears, Klobuchar shared well wishes for Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, who remain hospitalized.

Champlin officials announced they are canceling the rest of the city’s annual Father Hennepin Festival following the violent attack on Senator Hoffman and his wife.

The event had been scheduled to run through Sunday. ‘Authorities believe these were targeted attacks against specific individuals,’ the city said in a statement. ‘However, the suspect remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous.’

A Minnesota official who has seen the suspect’s ‘hit list’ told CNN that it particuarly targeted ‘prominent pro-choice individuals in Minnesota, including many Democratic lawmakers who have been outspoken about pro-choice policy positions’.

The ‘manifesto’ discovered inside the suspect’s car listed nearly 70 names.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz spoke with Vice President JD Vance about Saturday’s ‘targeted’ attacks, as reported by CNN.

Walz expressed an ‘appreciation for the ongoing coordination between federal law enforcement and Minnesota public safety officials’ while speaking to Vance.

Investigators believe Vance Boelter, the 57-year-old named suspect in Saturday’s heinous shootings, is attempting ‘to potentially flee’ the Twin Cities – Minneapolis and St. Paul, The Washington Post reported.

Minnesota authorities have released a photograph of the suspected gunman, taken from a business in Minneapolis on Saturday morning.

A video of the suspect has reportedly also been obtained.

The shelter-in-place order issued after Saturday’s shootings has been lifted in Brooklyn Park, as reported by The New York Times.

An emergency alert announcing the end of the order was issued to the public, citing a ‘reason to believe he is no longer in the area’.

Elon Musk has weighed in on Saturday’s tragedy, responding to a post shared on X claiming that ‘the left has become a full blown domestic terrorist organization’.

On Saturday afternoon, the Tesla CEO responded to a post from a user discussing individuals allegedly ‘killed by the political left’.

In the original post, the user mentioned the murder of the United Healthcare CEO and the two Israeli ambassadors staffers.

The two assassination attempts on President Donald Trump and the ‘doxes and attempts to murder federal ICE agents and Police – all week’ were also mentioned.

Seemingly in agreeance, Musk responded: ‘The far left is murderously violent’.

The suspect in the Minnesota Democrat shootings was identified on Saturday afternoon as 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter.

The alleged shooter has armed security experience in the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and North America through the Praetorian Guard Security Services, his biography on the site said.

‘He brings a great security aspect forged by both many on the ground experiences combined with training by both private security firms and by people in the US Military,’ it read.

‘Vance has focused all this experience to make sure Praetorian Guard Security Services covers the needs you have to keep your family and property safe.’

Boelter has also lived a life of public service before today’s tragedies – even previously serving on the Governor’s Workforce Development Board, which works closely with Governor Tim Walz to give advice on the state’s workforce.

He served on the board from June 2016 to June 2018 as a private sector representative and from December 2019 to January 2023 as a board member.

He was appointed under Governor Walz both times.

Boelter was also the CEO of Red Lion Group, which was based in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He announced two years ago that he was in the country with his company, working on ‘private business projects’.

Law enforcement loaded a black Ford Explorer onto a towtruck from the driveway of Minnesota Representative Melissa Hortman’s home before being escorted away from the scene, The New York Times reported.

The vehicle closely resembled a law enforcement SUV, with a license plate reading ‘Police’ and a light bar mounted on the roof.

Although investigators have yet to discuss details surrounding the Ford Explorer, they have emphasized that the suspect drove a vehicle designed to impersonate law enforcement.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has emphasized that the agency is closely monitoring the ‘horrific shooting’ that left State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, dead.

In a statement to X, Noem wrote: ‘DHS is monitoring the horrific shooting of two Minnesota legislators in Brooklyn Park and Champlin’.

She added that the department is coordinating with interagency partners and pledged to share updates with the public as more information comes to light.

‘We are in communication with our interagency partners, and will share more information as soon as it becomes available,’ she said.

‘I am praying for the victims of this heinous attack and their families.’

The Minnesota Lynx WNBA coach Cheryl Reeve has railed against both ‘radicalization’ and ‘white power’ during an emotional press conference following the fatal shooting of Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark.

‘It seems pretty meaningless,’ Reeve said before becoming tearful and taking a moment to compose herself. ‘It’s certainly hitting close to home.’

‘It’s a really difficult time, not just in our country but in the world. The radicalization that has occurred since, I think it is very clear, the timing of when our country started to turn. Today is a tough day all around,’ she added.

‘Basketball is what we do and we’ll go out there and do what we do but when our game is over, god knows what we are going to come off the court and learn what is happening.’

Reeve continued: ‘It is sickening. You know, obviously, but for the families, I can’t imagine. Thankfully State Senator Hoffman appears to be ok.

‘Life just got a little bit more difficult for lawmakers, more difficult for those serving our community when you have someone who went to the extent that they did to impersonate those we are trusting with safety. It is a sick time.’

Asked about ‘this time of more and more division’ and the WNBA’s message ‘of inclusion’, Reeve said: ‘I was thinking about the era, the political era of leadership, the term politically correct actually means kindness and thinking of others.

‘When that became weaponized, when inlcusion became weaponized, it is a time now more than ever when we need to stand in that and inclusion is the path.

‘It has been met with a lot of resistance and that is the way of the world. It is all rooted in power – white power, no less.’

Following Saturday’s ‘politically motivated attacks’, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer called for Capitol Police to ‘immediately’ raise their security measures for Minnesota Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, CNN reported.

‘I am continuing to closely monitor the devastating and developing situation in Minnesota,’ Schumer said in a statement early Saturday afternoon.

‘This morning, I spoke with both Senators Klobuchar and Smith’, he added.

‘In light of this horrifying attack, I asked Capitol Police – as I did earlier this week for Senator Padilla – to immediatelly increase security for both senators.’

In his statement, Schumer thanked both the Sergeant at Arms and the Capitol Police for following through with his request.

He also asked the Senate Sergeant at Arms and Leader John Thune to hold a ‘full briefing immediately’ on member security upon his return to DC.

‘As we continue to follow this terrifying situation, I urge everyone to stay safe, stay vigilant and reject political violence in all forms,’ Schumer added.

All Democratic members of Minnesota’s Congressional delegation were reportedly on the suspect’s alleged hit list, a law enforcement source told CNN.

US Capitol Police have contacted each member of the state’s delegation, conducting security checks amid the ongoing manhunt.

‘The United States Capitol Police is aware of the violence targeting state lawmakers in Minnesota,’ Capitol Police said in a statement.

‘We have been working with our federal, state and local partners,’ it added.

‘For safety reasons, we cannot provide specific details about our security posture.’

The suspect in the assassination of State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, as well as the attempted assassination of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, has been identified as Vance Boelter, as reported by CNN.

Officials said Boelter, 57, is employed with security company Praetorian Guard Security, where he works as the director of security patrols, according to the website.

‘We drive the same make and model of vehicles that many police departments use in the US,’ the website reads.

Boelter has also received training from U.S. military personnel.

At a news conference on Saturday, Superintendent Drew Evans of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said that investigators were still attempting to locate Boelter in connection with the attacks, as reported by The New York Times.

After describing the 57-year-old’s appearance, Evans urged the public to call 911 if they see him.

‘We still don’t know if additional people are involved,’ he said.

Bullet holes are visible in the front door of State Senator John Hoffman’s home, suggesting he may have been shot through the door.

Yvette Hoffman’s nephew told CNN that she saved her daughter’s life during the shooting.

The Hoffmans’ daughter, who is in her mid-20s, was home with her parents when the tragedy unfolded.

According to her nephew, Yvette threw herself on top of her daughter, shielding her from the gunfire and ultimately saving her from injury.

Minnesota Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, are both out of surgery and stable, Yvette’s nephew told CNN.

The family were told that the bullet ‘very nearly missed’ the senator’s heart, while Yvette reportedly had ‘no organs pierced’.

They were both shot five or six times, according to the nephew.

‘The family says they are very hopeful right now, and that they’re getting positive messages coming out of the hospital regarding Senator Hoffman and his wife,’ KARE reporter A.J. Lagoe reported.

Demonstrators are showing up to the ‘No Kings’ rally in St. Paul, despite warnings from state officials to remain indoors until the gunman is apprehended, as reported by The New York Times.

A big crowd has reportedly gathered outside the State Capitol, many carrying American flags and signs reading ‘No Kings’.

Several speakers at the event paid tribute to State Rep. Hortman, prompting cheers from the crowd.

Authorities previously shared an image on social media showing flyers for the ‘NO KINGS’ rallies planned to coincide with Donald Trump’s birthday parade, which they said they found in a vehicle believed to be linked to the shootings.

Organizers of the rally had announced a state-wide cancellation after news of the tragedy broke.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced that he had planned to attend the anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ rally in St. Paul on Saturday during an appearance at the Center for American Progress in Washington on Friday.

‘The world is on fire under his watch,’ Walz said, as reported by The New York Times.

At a press conference on Saturday morning, the Minnesota State Patrol urged people in the state not to attend planned anti-Trump protests until the suspect or suspects in the shooting are apprehended, fearing the demonstrations could be targeted.

Now, all ‘No Kings’ protests against the Trump Administration scheduled for today have been cancelled state-wide, according to a statement provided by organizers.

Former President Joe Biden has broken his silence on the Saturday morning tragedy in Minnesota, sharing a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter.

‘This heinous attack motivated by politics should never happen in America,’ Biden said.

‘We must give hate and extremism no safe harbor and we must all unite against political violence as a nation,’ he added.

‘Jill and I are sending strength to everyone affected by this senseless tragedy during an unimaginable time.’

Efforts to locate the suspect are intensifying in the suburban neighborhood, as law enforcement and SWAT teams continue to swarm the area.

All vehicles are being stopped before leaving the subdivision where Hortman and her husband were killed, with authorities inspecting each car before allowing it to proceed, as reported by The New York Times.

A heavy presence of law enforcement remains in the area, with armored vehicles patrolling the streets as residents cautiously peer out their windows at the ongoing commotion.

In Edinbrook Park – typically a popular weekend recreation spot in Brooklyn Park – has been transformed into a staging area for law enforcement.

Officers in full tactical gear have gathered around a mobile command unit, with three armored SWAT vehicles positioned at the scene.

Officials said the individual seen exiting the Hortmans’ home was dressed as a police officer, wearing a vest and badge, and carrying a taser along with other law enforcement equipment, as reported by ABC 7 News.

Police are stopping and inspecting all vehicles leaving the subdivision where Hortman and her husband were killed. A strong law enforcement presence remains, with armored vehicles patrolling the area.

The lawmakers shot Saturday morning in Minnesota were State Representative Melissa Hortman, the former Speaker of the House, and State Senator John Hoffman, both veteran Democrats.

Hortman was a lawyer and legislator for about 20 years. She served as House Speaker from 2019 to 2025, representing a solidly Democratic district where she won re-election by wide margins.

She played a central role in passing major legislation in 2023, including expanding abortion rights, legalizing recreational marijuana and mandating paid family and medical leave.

In 2024, amid a deadlocked House, Hortman led a Democratic boycott during a dispute over chamber control. Once election challenges were resolved, she allowed Republican Lisa Demuth to assume the speakership.

She is survived by her two children. Her husband, Mark, was also killed in the Saturday attack.

Senator Hoffman, 60, has served in the Legislature since 2013 and previously sat on the Anoka-Hennepin School Board.

He chairs the Senate Human Services Committee and has focused on disability rights and fiscal responsibility.

He lives in Champlin with his wife, Yvette, and their daughter. Following the attack, Hoffaman and his wife underwent surgery and are expected to survive, according to Governor Tim Walz.

Hoffman, a former marketing and PR professional, emphasizes bipartisan cooperation and won re-election by 10 points.

At a press conference on Saturday morning, the Minnesota State Patrol urged people in the state not to attend planned anti-Trump protests until the suspect or suspects in the shooting are apprehended, fearing the demonstrations could be targeted.

Authorities shared an image on social media showing flyers for the ‘NO KINGS’ rallies planned to coincide with Donald Trump’s birthday parade, which they said they found in a vehicle believed to be linked to the shootings.

Minnesota State Senator Amy Klobuchar took to X on Saturday to honor her ‘good friend’ State Representative Melissa Hortman.

‘I am heartbroken and horrified by the tragic loss of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were taken from us in an act of violence,’ Klobuchar wrote.

‘Melissa was a good friend—we started in politics at the same time and were always there for each other. She was a true public servant, dedicating her life to Minnesotans with integrity and compassion. Melissa’s legacy will endure, but today we grieve deeply. John’s and my prayers are with their children, their loved ones, and all who are mourning this devastating loss.’

Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords also paid tribute on X:
‘I’m devastated to learn that my friend, Minnesota Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, and her husband, Mark Hortman, were killed in last night’s shooting.’

Giffords, now head of the gun violence prevention group GIFFORDS and a survivor of a 2011 mass shooting in Arizona, added:

‘My family and I know the horror of a targeted shooting all too well. An attack against lawmakers is an attack on American democracy itself. Leaders must speak out and condemn the violent extremism threatening everything this country stands for.’

President Donald Trump called the shooting ‘terrible’ in a statement, adding that federal authorities would prosecute any perpetrator to the ‘fullest extent of the law.’

‘Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America,’ he said. ‘God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!’

In the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park, the streets are unnervingly quiet as several businesses have shuttered after authorities urged residents to stay indoors.

The normally busy shopping centers are deserted and a sign at a local grocery store reads: ‘Closed (due to lock down).’

The gunman is reportedly heavily armed, wearing body armor and dressed similarly to the officers chasing him.

Residents of Brooklyn Park are encouraged to continue to stay in their homes, the town’s police chief said said. If a police officer comes to your door, he added, residents should call 911 to confirm whether an officer is supposed to be there.

Also, all Brooklyn Park police officers are working in pairs today, so no officer should be approaching a home alone, he said.

Federal officials are assisting local authorities in the extensive search effort, collecting evidence to track down the on-the-run suspect.

Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said the gunman’s vehicle, which bore a close resemblance to a police squad car, contained a ‘manifesto’ and a target list with names of individuals, including the two lawmakers who were shot.

‘I will tell you, when we did a search of the vehicle, there was a manifesto that identified many lawmakers and other officials,’ Brooklyn Park Police Department Chief Mark Bruley said.

‘We immediately made alerts to the state, who took action,’ he added. ‘Alerting them and providing security where necessary.’

The list found inside the suspect’s car contained nearly 70 names, a law enforcement official told CNN.

The list included abortion providers, pro-abortion rights advocates and lawmakers from Minnesota and other states.

A Father’s Day card was also reportedly discovered inside the vehicle, addressed to the suspect in a bag full of ammunition.

Shortly after law enforcement officers responded to a report of a shooting at the home of State Senator John Hoffman, where they found him and his wife injured, officers chose to check on the nearby residence of State Representative Melissa Hortman.

During that check, officers encountered the suspect, who opened fire on them before fleeing the scene.

The suspect fired at police officers as they arrived at the home of State Representative Melissa Hortman around 3:35 am.

‘The individual was able to escape during that exchange of gunfire,’ Drew Evans, who leads the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, told the New York Times.