Minnesota lawmakers shooting: No current safety threat in Champlin

CHAMPLIN, Minn. (FOX 9) – Authorities say there is no current threat to public safety in Champlin after Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were shot inside their home in the city. 

Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were also shot and killed inside their home in Brooklyn Park a little over an hour later. 

Authorities say both shootings were “targeted”. 

No current threat to public safety in Champlin

What we know:

According to Champlin police, there is no current threat to the public after Sen. Hoffman and his wife were shot inside their home. 

Police say they responded just after 2 a.m. to reports of gunfire at Hoffman’s home. At the scene, officers found the two victims inside the home with multiple gunshot wounds. 

Hoffman and his wife were taken to the hospital, and they are now out of surgery and recovering from their gunshot wounds. 

READ MORE: Rep. Melissa Hortman, her husband killed; Sen. John Hoffman, his wife shot in ‘targeted’ shootings

What they’re saying:

“This remains an active and ongoing investigation,” said Champlin Police Chief Glen Schneider. “We are working closely with state and local law enforcement partners to follow leads and pursue all necessary investigative steps.”

The suspect is still at large, but police say “based on current information” authorities believe this was a targeted attack and there is no current threat to the general’s public safety. 

“The City of Champlin extends its thoughts and prayers to Senator John Hoffman, Representative Melissa Hortman, and their families during this difficult time,” the press release stated. 

What you can do:

Police are asking anyone who observes suspicious activity or has relevant information to call 911 immediately. 

In Brooklyn Park, authorities are also telling people in the area not to answer their door for a police officer unless it’s two officers together, or call 911 to confirm the identity of the officer at your door.

The suspect is a white man with brown hair wearing black body armor over a blue shirt and blue pants, and he may be impersonating law enforcement. 

Father Hennepin Festival canceled

Big picture view:

Champlin city officials at around 4 p.m. said that the Father Hennepin Festival was now canceled due to an ongoing criminal investigation in Chaplin. 

Minnesota lawmakers shot in ‘targeted attacks’

The backstory:

Sen. Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, and Rep. Hortman and her husband, Mark, were shot inside their homes by some impersonating a police officer. 

Rep. Hortman and her husband were killed in the shooting. Sen. Hoffman and his wife were shot multiple times, but are out of surgery. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is “cautiously optimistic” they will survive.

Hortman was a Democrat from Brooklyn Park representing District 34B. Hoffman, a Democrat from Champlin, represents Senate District 34.

READ MORE: Live updates on MN lawmaker shootings: Rep. Hortman and her husband dead, suspect impersonating police

Timeline of what happened

Timeline:

Here’s a look at the timeline of what we know so far: 

• About 2 a.m. on June 14: A 911 call in Champlin was made at about 2 a.m. Saturday. Police then found that Minnesota Sen. Hoffman and his wife had been shot. Both Hoffman and his wife are recovering from gunshot wounds after undergoing surgery at the hospital.
• 3:35 a.m.: Brooklyn Park police officers then “proactively” went to the home of Rep. Hortman, authorities say. It was there that they encountered the suspect, who was dressed up as an officer with a fake police vehicle. The suspect opened fire on officers, but the suspect fled. In the suspect’s vehicle, authorities found a manifesto with lawmakers’ names on it and papers with “No Kings” written on them.
• 5:30 a.m.: The shelter-in-place alert was sent at 5:30 a.m. by BPPD for the 3-mile radius around the Edinburgh Golf Course.
• Around 9:45 a.m.: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced at a press conference that Hortman and her husband had died after being shot. Walz said they’re “cautiously optimistic” about Hoffman and his wife’s recovery.
• Around 11 a.m.: Authorities and Gov. Walz urged people to not attend any political rallies until the suspect is apprehended.
• Around 11:30 a.m.: Champlin authorities say there is no current threat to public safety in the city.
• Before 1 p.m.: The Associated Press identified Vance Luther Boelter, 57, as the suspect. He was appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton in 2016 and then by Gov. Walz in 2019 to the bipartisan workforce development board. His term expired in 2023.
• About 1:30 p.m.: Police clear the scene at Hoffman’s house in Champlin.
• Around 1:45 p.m.: Police served a search warrant at 49th and Freemont in Minneapolis in connection with the investigation.
• 3 p.m.: Authorities named Vance Boelter as a “person of interest” and suspect in the case, and asked for the public’s help in locating him.
• 3:20 p.m.: Brooklyn Park authorities have cleared the shelter-in-place order. But an alert sent to people living in the area asks people to call 911 if you see something suspicious. Police will still be in the area collecting evidence. Meanwhile, Mercy Hospital remains on lockdown.
• 3:50 p.m.: The Hennepin County Medical Examiner released the initial reports for the Hortmans, saying Melissa Hortman, 55, and Mark Hortman, 58, both died of multiple gunshot wounds. A time of death was not listed, but the report says Mark Hortman died at North Memorial Hospital, while Melissa Hortman died at her home.
• 4 p.m.: The FBI is offering a $50,000 for information leading to the arrest of Vance Boelter.

The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office said an investigation is underway and Brooklyn Park is the lead agency. The FBI is assisting in the investigation. Gov. Walz said he has activated the State Emergency Operations Center.

Several people have reportedly been detained and questioned, but no arrests have been made. 

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Read more of FOX 9’s coverage on the shootings: