John Hoffman reflects on June 14 shooting: ‘I had 9 holes in my body’
John Hoffman makes first public comments since June 14 attacks
For the first time in seven months, Minnesota lawmaker John Hoffman is breaking his silence on the June 14, 2025 shooting at his Champlin home. The incident was allegedly a politically-motivated attack, for which Vance Boelter is currently charged and in custody while he awaits trial. FOX 9's Kelcey Carlson sat down with Hoffman at his St. Paul office on Monday.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - For the first time in seven months, Minnesota lawmaker John Hoffman is breaking his silence on the June 14, 2025 shooting at his Champlin home.
The incident was allegedly a politically-motivated attack, for which Vance Boelter is currently charged and in custody while he awaits trial.
On Monday, Hoffman sat down with FOX 9’s Kelcey Carlson to recall what the morning was like.
Hoffman has made public appearances and posted to social media since the shooting. But Monday marks the first time he's spoken publicly to media outlets.
‘The priority I had was survival’
The backstory:
It was about 2 a.m. on June 14 when a man posing as a law enforcement officer was at Hoffman’s front door. He, his wife Yvette and their daughter, Hope, were home at the time. They came to the door to see what was going on when the suspect opened fire.
Both John and Yvette Hoffman were shot multiple times.
"Survival was my only, the priority I had was survival, that was the only priority going on in my head," Hoffman said. "To me it was also, ‘Am I dreaming this? Is this really happening?’ Once it happened, when he wasn’t who he said he was, then it was survival."
‘I had 9 holes in my body’
What they're saying:
Sergeant Lewis of the Champlin Police Department was among the first officers on scene. He was able to get them out of the home, and into an ambulance to the hospital.
Hoffman was shot nine times, but still survived.
"To see an actual Champlin police officer standing in my doorway, to this day, when I see him, I tear up. Sergreant Lewis. He cleared my house, they pulled me in and started putting patches on me," Hoffman said. "I had nine holes in my body. I said ‘Take us to Mercy,’ I think I yelled it."
Hoffman announced just after Christmas he’s seeking re-election in the State Senate for District 34.
Minnesota lawmaker shootings
Why you should care:
Hoffman was the first target of a politically-motivated attack in the early-morning hours of June 14.
Vance Boelter, the alleged gunman, is accused of murdering Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, at their Brooklyn Park home.
Boelter is also accused of targeting lawmaker Ann Rest in New Hope, but fled the area after an encounter with a police officer near her residence. Rest announced in September she will retire after the 2026 legislative session.
A manhunt for Boelter lasted nearly two days before he was taken into custody in a field near his Green Isle residence on June 15. It took hundreds of law enforcement and more than 20 SWAT teams, but Boelter was arrested without incident.