Minnesota Shooting Suspect Vance Boelter Claims Attacks Were Not Politically Driven

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Vance Boelter, the 57-year-old accused of assassinating former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and of attempting to murder State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, spoke out from his cell in the Sherburne County Jail in Elk River, Minnesota. In an exclusive interview with The New York Post, Boelter denied that his actions on June 14, 2025, were motivated by loyalty to President Donald Trump or by pro-life ideology. “You’re fishing, and I can’t talk about my case.  I’ll say it didn’t involve either the Trump stuff or pro-life,” he stated via the prison’s messaging system.

Boelter, charged with two counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder, allegedly carried out the attacks in the early hours of 14 June in the Minneapolis suburbs. Prosecutors say he impersonated a police officer using a mask, tactical vest, a vehicle outfitted with flashing lights, and fake “police” license plates to gain access to the lawmakers’ homes. The attacks left Hortman and her husband dead, while Hoffman and his wife survived despite sustaining multiple gunshot wounds. Authorities have classified the shootings as “politically motivated,” citing notebooks found in Boelter’s vehicle containing over 45 names and addresses of state and federal elected officials, including lawmakers and abortion rights advocates.

In his interview, Boelter hinted at undisclosed details, suggesting, “There is a lot of information that will come out in the future that people will look at and judge for themselves that goes back 24 months before the 14th. If the gov ever lets it get out.” He also probed the outlet about the notes, asking, “Can I ask what you heard as an outside person about the note that the alleged person, I’ll say alleged person, left in that car, did you hear anything about that?” During a federal court hearing, Boelter told the judge he was “looking forward to court” so that the “truth” about the event, including a period going back two years, could come out. The judge ordered Boelter to remain in custody pending trial.

Boelter’s wife, through her lawyer, issued a statement expressing horror at the shootings: “We are absolutely shocked, heartbroken, and completely blindsided. This violence does not at all align with our beliefs as a family. It is a betrayal of everything we hold as tenets of our Christian faith.” The statement underscores the family’s distress and attempts to distance their values from Boelter’s alleged actions.

The case seized statewide attention, with authorities describing the two-day manhunt, culminating in his arrest in rural Sibley County, as the largest in Minnesota’s history. Boelter was apprehended in a field near his rural home in Green Isle after a search involving over 100 officers and 20 SWAT teams. The discovery of his car, containing the alleged target list, intensified concerns about political violence in an already polarised climate. Although authorities have not confirmed a specific motive, the attacks have intensified concerns over the safety of public officials and the escalating threat of political violence. 

Boelter’s cryptic remarks and the ongoing investigation leave many questions unansweredWith Boelter now facing federal and state charges, including two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder, the public is awaiting upcoming proceedings now delayed beyond his originally scheduled June 27 court appearance, for more clarity on his motivations. For now, Boelter remains behind bars, with his next court appearance scheduled for 27 June.