Minnesota victim of political shooting ‘part of parish community’ local priest says 

CNA Staff, Jun 16, 2025 / 17:40 pm (CNA).

A suspected shooter faces federal charges after he was arrested for the murders of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman — a Catholic who once taught Sunday school — and her husband, Mark, in their home this weekend.  

After a two-day manhunt involving more than 20 different SWAT teams, authorities apprehended the suspect, 57-year-old Vance Boelter, on June 15 in Sibley County. Boelter now faces federal murder charges, which could allow for the death penalty, federal officials announced Monday. 

Boelter is also suspected of shooting state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in their home the same day before he murdered the Hortmans. Yvette Hoffman said in a statement that they are “incredibly lucky to be alive” after she was shot eight times and he nine. 

Melissa Hortman, a well-known politician in the state, had served as Democratic speaker of the Minnesota House for six years. 

She and her husband “had been a part of the St. Timothy Parish community,” according to Father Joe Whalen, the pastor of the Blaine, Minnesota, parish, who shared the community’s grief in a statement over the weekend.

“Our parish community feels deeply this loss and we offer our prayerful support and condolences to the Hortman and Hoffman families,” Whalen said on June 14. 

Melissa Hortman had volunteered in the parish children’s faith formation program, according to Whalen. 

“This attack on dedicated public servants deeply wounds our entire community,” the priest continued. “Those who dedicate themselves to public service should be acknowledged for their generosity and commitment to service.”

Both politicians also met regularly with the local Catholic bishops, according to Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis, as previously reported by CNA. 

Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona–Rochester, Minnesota, recalled meeting both Hortman and Hoffman at the state capitol a few months ago during a meeting of bishops with state leaders.

“I was deeply impressed by both,” he said in a statement. “Rep. Hortman listened to us with sharp intelligence and acute attention.” 

Barron also recalled having a “wonderful conversation” with Hoffman — an alum of St. Mary’s University, a Catholic university in Barron’s diocese — during which the senator “shared his passion for Catholic social teaching.”

Barron urged people to pray for the recovery of Hoffman and his wife as well as for the souls of Hortman and her husband.

“God knows we are a divided society, but our political differences must never, ever give rise to violence,” Barron said. 

As previously reported by CNA, Hebda called Hortman “an honorable public servant” and recalled that though the two “disagreed on some issues, we worked collaboratively to find common ground.”

He also praised Hoffman as “a strong advocate for the most vulnerable” and urged people to pray for the recovery of him and his wife. Hoffman represents Minnesota Senate District 34 as a Democrat. 

At the time of his arrest, Boelter had a list of 70 potential targets including public officials, top business leaders, and abortion businesses. 

Multiple agencies banded together on foot and in a helicopter to apprehend the suspect in what Brooklyn Park Police Department Chief Mark Bruley described as the “largest manhunt in the state’s history.” 

The first shooting took place at the Hoffmans’ residence in the early hours of Saturday in the suburbs of Minneapolis. According to Minnesota authorities, Boelter dressed in police-style tactical gear and wore a rubber mask, announcing himself as a police officer to gain entrance to the victims’ homes. Yvette Hoffman reportedly shielded her adult daughter from the shooter, protecting her from harm. Her daughter alerted the authorities. 

When the Brooklyn Park Police learned that the first shooting had targeted a politician, they went to check on the Hortmans, who lived nearby. When they arrived at 3:35 a.m., officers witnessed Boelter shooting Hortman and her husband through the open front door. He fired at authorities before escaping on foot, according to the authorities. 

Boelter was taken into custody late Sunday evening. Authorities said they found no evidence that he was working with anyone else. Inside Boelter’s vehicle, authorities found a list of names and addresses of other public officials along with three AK-47 assault rifles and a 9mm handgun. His bail was set at $5 million.

Source: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/264779/minnesota-victim-of-political-shooting-part-of-parish-community-local-priest-says