Appalling six-word text Minnesota ‘assassin’ sent to family shortly after he ‘murdered Dem lawmaker and husband’

The suspected assassin accused of killing a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband seemingly bragged about the slayings in a chilling text to his family.

Vance Boelter, 57, allegedly impersonated a police officer and then shot dead Melissa Hortman, the top Democrat in the Minnesota House, and her husband, Mark, in their home on Saturday night.

He is also suspected of shooting and wounding state Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette at their home a few miles away. 

Boelter, who officials say meticulously planned the attacks, did not appear to have any remorse for the murders, which he alleged were an act of ‘war’.

The suspected killer texted his wife Jenny and other family members shortly after he attacked the legislators, according to a federal criminal complaint.

‘Dad went to war last night,’ he wrote in the appalling text, which was sent around 6:18am, the federal charging documents state.

He added: ‘I don’t wanna say more because I don’t wanna implicate anybody.’

Authorities allege Boelter texted also his wife separately after the brutal attacks, acknowledging ‘words are not gonna explain how sorry I am for this situation’.

Boelter also warned her that ‘there’s gonna be some people coming to the house armed and trigger-happy and I don’t want you guys around’.

Police later found Jenny Boelter in her car with her children, their passports, two handguns, and $10,000 cash, according to the affidavit.

Suspected assassin Vance Boelter, 57, (left) texted his wife Jenny (right) and other family members shortly after allegedly murdered a lawmaker on Saturday night

Boelter allegedly impersonated a police officer and then shot dead Melissa Hortman, the top Democrat in the Minnesota House, and her husband, Mark, (pictured together) in their home

The Hoffmans were attacked first at their home in Champlin. A criminal complaint indicated their adult daughter called 911 to say a masked person – identified as Boelter (pictured) – had come to the door and shot her parents 

Boelter surrendered to police Sunday after they found him in the woods near his home following a massive manhunt that stretched over two days. 

Acting US Attorney Joseph Thompson on Monday announced six new federal charges against Boelter for murder, stalking, and shooting offenses. 

He already faces state charges, including murder and attempted murder. 

Boelter carried out surveillance missions, took notes on the homes and people he targeted and disguised himself as a police officer just before the shootings.

‘It is no exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmares,’ Thompson added.

Boelter had many notebooks full of plans that appeared to be months in the making, according to the affidavit.

Underscoring what law enforcement officials said was the premeditated nature of the attacks, Boelter wrote out in one notebook a list of internet-based people search engines, according to court records.

His writings included the names of 45 state and federal elected officials in Minnesota, Thompson said. 

Minnesota shooting suspect Vance Boelter (pictured during his arrest) went to the homes of four different state representatives on Saturday with the intent to kill, prosecutors said

But authorities have not found any writings that would ‘clearly identify what motivated him,’ Thompson said. 

Though the targets were Democrats and elected officials, Thompson said it was too soon to speculate on any sort of political ideology.

Federal prosecutors also revealed that he went to the homes of two other legislators on the night of the shootings, intending to inflict more carnage against those on his hitlist.

But one of the other state lawmakers was on vacation and the suspect left the other house after police arrived early Saturday.

Authorities declined to name the two other elected officials who escaped harm, but it was clear the shootings were politically motivated.

‘This was a targeted attack against individuals who answered the call to public service,’ said Alvin Winston, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Minneapolis field office.

At one point during his evasion from law enforcement, Boelter bought an electronic bike and a Buick sedan from someone he met at a bus stop in Minneapolis, the federal affidavit said. 

Police found the sedan abandoned on a highway Sunday morning.

Weapons found inside of Vance Boelter’s abandoned SUV

Law enforcement footage captured Vance Boelter outside the Hortman family’s Brooklyn Park home around 3:30am

Boelter was seen in CCTV footage wearing a cowboy hat identical to one found on Sunday

In the car, law enforcement found a cowboy hat Boelter had been seen wearing in surveillance footage as well as a letter written to the FBI, authorities said. 

The letter said it was written by ‘Dr. Vance Luther Boulter’ and said he was ‘the shooter at large in Minnesota involved in the 2 shootings.’

The car was found in rural Sibley County, where Boelter lived, and a police officer reported Sunday that he believed he saw Boelter running into the woods, narrowing the search to a wooded area.

Police used a helicopter and officers on foot to find Boelter. He gave himself up to police, crawling out before he was handcuffed and taken into custody in a field.

Drew Evans, superintendent of the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said the violence likely would’ve continued had Brooklyn Park officers not checked on Hortman’s home, causing Boelter to flee.

The Hoffmans were attacked first at their home in Champlin. A criminal complaint indicated their adult daughter called 911 to say a masked person had come to the door and shot her parents.

Boelter had shown up carrying a flashlight and a 9 mm handgun and wearing a black tactical vest and a ‘hyper-realistic’ silicone mask, said Thompson.

He first knocked and shouted: ‘This is police.’ 

Boelter also allegedly wounded his Democratic State Senator John Hoffman

Bullet holes are seen in the door outside the home of DFL State Sen. John Hoffman on June 15, 2025 in Champlin, Minnesota

At one point, the Hoffmans realized he was wearing a mask and Boelter told them ‘this is a robbery.’ 

After Sen. Hoffman tried to push Boelter out the door, Boelter shot him repeatedly and then shot his wife, the prosecutor said.

When police in nearby Brooklyn Park learned that a lawmaker had been shot, they sent patrol officers to check on the Hortmans’ home.

Brooklyn Park police officers arrived just in time to see Boelter shoot Mark Hortman through the open door of the home and exchanged gunfire with Boelter, who fled into the home before escaping, the complaint said. 

Melissa Hortman was found dead inside, according to the document. Their dog also was shot.

Writings recovered from the fake police vehicle included the names of prominent state and federal lawmakers and community leaders, along with abortion rights advocates and information about health care facilities, two law enforcement officials told the Associated Press.

A Minnesota official added that lawmakers who had been outspoken in favor of abortion rights were on the list.

Melissa Hortman was found dead inside, according to the document. Their dog Gilbert (pictured with Melissa) also was shot and had to later be euthanized

Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson (center) announced on Monday that Boelter went to the homes of two other lawmakers to carry out more carnage

Friends and former colleagues describe Boelter as a devout Christian who attended an evangelical church and went to campaign rallies for President Donald Trump.

Boelter also is a former political appointee who served on the same state workforce development board as Hoffman, records show, though it was not clear if or how well they knew each other.

Just hours after the shootings, Boelter texted friends to apologize for his actions, though he didn’t say what he had done.

‘I’m going to be gone for a while. May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn’t gone this way,’ he wrote in the messages.

Boelter, who appeared in federal court in St. Paul on Monday, said he could not afford an attorney and a federal public defender was appointed to represent him.

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