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Sen. Hoffman recounts shooting, recovery in return to Senate
Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman returned to the Senate floor at the start of the 2026 session, recounting the June attack that left him and his wife, Yvette, shot multiple times in their home. His colleague, Rep. Melissa Hortman, and her husband Mark, were fatally shot in their home a short time later. Hoffman thanked first responders, medical teams, law enforcement, and colleagues from both parties for their support during his recovery.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - For the first time in more than eight months since being shot multiple times in a politically-motivated attack, Sen. John Hoffman returned to the Minnesota Senate chambers on Tuesday.
John Hoffman returns to Capitol
What we know:
The 2026 Minnesota legislative session officially came to order on Tuesday. It started with House leaders holding a remembrance for Melissa Hortman, who was fatally shot at her Brooklyn Park home last June.
Hoffman, after months of being hospitalized and in recovery, walked up the Capitol steps and entered Senate chambers to a standing ovation. Hoffman was shot nine times on the morning of June 14, 2025. His wife, Yvette, was wounded eight times. Their daughter, Hope, had a gun pointed to her head and was able to call 911 to get help to their Champlin home.
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John Hoffman returns to State Capitol 8 months after shooting
Minnesota Senator John Hoffman returned to the State Capitol on Tuesday, about eight months after being shot multiple times in a politically-motivated attack at his Champlin home.
The Senate went into recess, and Hoffman gave a roughly eight-minute speech.
"Man it is really good to be back in this chamber with all of you. Over the past few months, my family and I have walked through a chapter that changes a person. When you survive an attempted assassination, you look at the world differently," Hoffman said. "The noise fades, and that posturing fades. The chatter becomes irrelevant. What remains is what is truly important – Family, community and the responsibility that we have to care for one another."
Hoffman thanks family, first responders
What they're saying:
Hoffman was joined at the Capitol Tuesday by his wife, family and extended family. He also got escorted up the steps by the same state troopers who provided security at the hospital, during his recovery and at his home.
Hoffman said his wife didn’t sign up to be the wife of a politician, but she embraces it. He talked about how his daughter saved lives by having the composure to call 911 and detail what was happening, saying she saved lives. He thanked the staff at Mercy Hospital for treating them.
"I’m grateful to them forever. Because of all of them, I’m able to return to this chamber today. What happened that day to my family and to the Hortman family and the fear so many felt across our communities was absolutely horrific," Hoffman said. "I will not allow that to define us, our lives are our democracy. What defines us is how we must respond, and how we choose to respond… We have a choice to either commit ourselves to the work of the people, and I choose to recommit. In moments like this, politics must fade and humanity must take over. This is not a weakness, it is a strength."
He finished, "Members, let's rise above the noise and let us govern with humility and let's prove through our actions, not just words, that democracy is stronger than fear. Mr. President, I thank you, and it feels really good to be back here."
The Source: This story uses information from a Sen. Hoffman speech and previous FOX 9 reporting.