bitchy | Two Minnesota Democrats were targeted for political assassination

Donald Trump hasn’t even been back in office for five full months and his violent wingnut supporters are already carrying out targeted assassinations of Democratic lawmakers. Over the weekend in Minnesota, two Democrats and their families were targeted by one or more assassins. Melissa Hortman, the former Democratic House speaker in Minnesota, was murdered alongside her husband Mark in their Brooklyn Park home. State Senator John Hoffman, also a Democrat, was shot and so was his wife Yvette inside their home (which was less than ten miles away from the Hortman home). The Hoffmans survived the shooting, with Yvette in better condition than her husband. Yvette Hoffman apparently threw her body on top of her daughter to shield her from the gunman, and the daughter is alive as well. This is so devastating.

Throughout Saturday and Sunday, there was a manhunt in Minnesota for the suspected shooter, a 57-year-old man named Vance Boelter. Lots of media outlets and law enforcement agencies are poring through Boelter’s history: he once worked for the government, he’s got a background in evangelical ministry and a “private security” firm where he worked internationally. Law enforcement also said that they believe Boelter was targeting Democrats who vocally supported reproductive rights and abortion rights. Late last night, Boelter was finally captured – he was arrested and taken into custody. He was found near his home in Green Isle, Sibley County. It is strongly believed that his wife was aiding him, and she was detained after a traffic stop on Sunday as well.

Minnesota’s Gov. Tim Walz spoke out on Saturday, shortly after learning about the shootings. Reportedly, Trump has not called Gov. Walz, and I suspect Trump has not called the Hortman or Hoffman families.

The roommate of Minnesota lawmaker shooting suspect Vance Boelter spoke to CBS News’ @lilialuciano about rumors circulating online about the suspect’s politics: “He’s not a Democrat. He would be offended if people called him a Democrat,” he said, adding that Boelter “was a Trump… pic.twitter.com/qm5uqsO79f

— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 16, 2025

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.