Federal sentencing date set for Vance Boelter in Minnesota lawmaker shootings

Sarah Nelson, Star Tribune on Jun 24, 2026

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

MINNEAPOLIS — The sentencing of Vance Boelter, who recently pleaded guilty to the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers and their families last year in a shocking act of political violence, has been set for July 23 in Minneapolis.

Boelter, 58, faces two consecutive life sentences along with several more years in federal prison as part of a plea agreement to his six federal offenses. In exchange, Boelter will not face the death penalty.

During his June 11 plea hearing, Boelter admitted to several harrowing details of the shootings committed in the early morning hours on June 14, 2025, including that he impersonated a police officer during the attacks against Minnesota elected officials.

Boelter admitted in a Minneapolis courtroom to first going to the Champlin home of state Sen. John Hoffman, then shooting him and his wife, Yvette, before firing at their daughter, Hope Hoffman. He then traveled to the homes of Rep. Kristin Bahner in Maple Grove and Sen. Ann Rest in New Hope. Bahner was not home and Boelter left the area of Rest’s home after encountering a police officer nearby.

The shooting spree ended at the Brooklyn Park residence of Rep. Melissa Hortman. Boelter admitted that her husband, Mark Hortman, answered the door and after a brief exchange, he shot Mark Hortman multiple times, killing him. He said he then shot and killed Melissa Hortman as she tried to flee up the stairs.

Boelter fled through the nearby Edinburgh USA Golf Course, sparking the largest manhunt in state history. Law enforcement arrested him 43 hours later near his home in Green Isle, Minn.

Minnesota U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen called the killings of the Hortmans and shooting of the Hoffmans “the worst political violence crimes that we have seen.” He said that he and acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche saw the decision to pull the death penalty off the table in exchange for a plea “the exact same way.”

“When you have a defendant that is prepared to plead guilty, take consecutive life terms-plus to ensure that he never sees freedom again in his entire life, that was an opportunity that we could just not pass up,” Rosen told reporters after Boelter’s plea hearing.

After his federal sentencing, Boelter will face charges connected to the shootings in Hennepin County District Court. His first appearance is scheduled for Aug. 3 in Hennepin County District Court.

He is charged with two counts of first-degree premeditated murder for killing the Hortmans and four counts of attempted first-degree murder for shooting the Hoffmans, including firing at Hope Hoffman, and for attempting to kill Bahner.

Boelter is also charged with felony cruelty to an animal for shooting the Hortmans’ dog, Gilbert, who was later euthanized, and one count of impersonating a police officer.

His first-degree murder charges carry the potential of life in prison without parole.

_____

(Jeff Day of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this report.)

_____