Is political violence getting worse?

Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were fatally shot on Saturday in what officials are calling a politically motivated and targeted attack. Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were also injured in a shooting. A manhunt for the suspect in the shootings, Vance Boelter, is underway.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Two Minnesota lawmakers were shot in what authorities say was a targeted, politically motivated attack. How often are local public officials facing these threats?

Political violence in Minnesota

By the numbers:

There were more than 600 incidents of threats or harassment against local officials nationally in 2024, according to the Bridging Divides Initiative at Princeton University, which tracks political violence in America. The number of incidents increased 74% from 2022.

The group tracked at least 36 incidents in Minnesota during that same timeframe. Incidents included death threats, gun violence and stalking.

"Threats and harassment are becoming increasingly common at the national, state, and local levels of government," the group wrote in a recent policy brief.

An Owatonna man made threatening posts about killing law enforcement and politicians. In 2022, He was sentenced to prison for having an unregistered firearm.

Last month, a Minneapolis man was indicted after leaving a threatening voicemail to murder a member of Congress.

Political violence in America is not new. In 2011, a gunman attempted to assassinate former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords at a grocery store in Tucson.

Daniel Hernandez was the intern credited with helping save Giffords’ life and is now running for Congress in Arizona. He reacted to the shooting of Minnesota lawmakers in an emotional post on social media.

"As a gun violence survivor as someone who has received death threats not just now but in the past it's really important that we tone down the political rhetoric," Hernandez said. "My thoughts and prayers are with the folks of Minnesota today who have lost friends and leaders who were attacked because of the work that they do representing their constituents.

2 Minnesota lawmakers shot, 1 killed

Local perspective:

A Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband are dead after what officials are calling a "targeted" shooting of political violence early Saturday morning. A manhunt is underway for the suspect, Vance Boelter.

Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were the two people killed Saturday morning when the suspect, allegedly dressed as a law enforcement officer wearing a mask, shot them in their home. The suspect also shot Sen. John Hoffman and his wife in their Champlin home. Officials say they are out of surgery and are recovering. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said they're cautiously optimistic they'll survive.

Authorities are calling this a politically motivated and targeted attack against the lawmakers. The suspect had a manifesto that listed the names of pro-choice advocates, including some Democratic lawmakers.

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, Yvette, had been shot. Both Hoffman and his wife are recovering from gunshot wounds after undergoing surgery at the hospital. Yvette Hoffman dove in front of her child to protect her from the gunman.

3:35 a.m. June 14

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. June 14

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 6 a.m. June 14

Vance Boelter briefly returned to a home near 49th and Fremont in Minneapolis, where he rented a room part-time. He texted two of the roommates that he had made some bad choices, he doesn't want to implicate them, and he may be dead soon. He did have vehicles at the home and broke out one of the windows, but it's unclear if he took one of those vehicles before he fled. The image of Boelter in the cowboy hat is from the surveillance cameras at this home. The renters have been allowed back inside the home.

Around 9:45 a.m. June 14

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. June 14

Authorities and Gov. Walz urged people to not attend any political rallies until the suspect is apprehended.

Around 11:30 a.m. June 14

Champlin authorities say there is no current threat to public safety in the city.

Before 1 p.m. June 14

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. June 14

Police clear the scene at Hoffman's house in Champlin.

Around 1:45 p.m. June 14

Police served a search warrant at a home near 49th and Fremont in Minneapolis in connection with the investigation. Authorities used battering rams to get inside. Those who are renting the home told FOX 9 Boelter was a part-time renter of a room in the home.

Around 2 p.m. on June 14

Law enforcement in Green Isle sent tactical units to a home about 5 miles southeast of town as part of the manhunt to find Boelter. Boelter has a home in Green Isle.

3 p.m. on June 14

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. on June 14

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. on June 14

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. on June 14

The FBI is offering a $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Vance Boelter.

9 p.m. on June 14

FOX 9 confirmed Yvette Hoffman is awake and alert following the shooting.

7 a.m. on June 15

The manhunt for Vance Boelter continues into day 2.

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.

Gov. Tim Walz has spoken to Vice President JD Vance. The governor expressed appreciation for the ongoing coordination between federal law enforcement and Minnesota.

Dig deeper:

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