Minnesota state Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette have released their first statement since the June 14 shooting that left them both hospitalized.
The Hoffmans describe the events of that night in stark detail. After attending a Democratic Party event in Minneapolis on June 13, they returned home with their adult daughter. Around 2 a.m., a man identifying himself as a police officer knocked on their door. When they opened it, the man opened fire.
John Hoffman, who remains in critical but stable condition, was shot nine times. Yvette, released from the hospital on Thursday, was shot eight times as she managed to push the shooter back and close the door. Their daughter Hope locked the door and called 911.
The Hoffmans credit Hope’s quick thinking with alerting authorities. “Her brave actions and quick thinking triggered the notice to public safety officials that a politically-motivated act was potentially underway,” they wrote.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz thanked the family for their response in a press conference last week. “I’d like to say on behalf of the state of Minnesota, the heroic actions by the Hoffman family and their daughter, Hope, saved countless lives, and we are grateful,” he said.
The couple also mourned the loss of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were killed by the same shooter later that night. “We are heartbroken to know that our friends Melissa and Mark Hortman were assassinated.”
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The Hoffmans said they are now confronting the new reality that public service comes with heightened personal risk. “We must work together to return to a level of civility that allows us all to live peacefully,” the statement reads. “The future for our children depends on that. We will be praying for that work and appreciate all those who will join with us.”
The suspect, 57-year-old Vance Boelter, was arrested Sunday night near his home in Sibley County after a 36-hour manhunt, which authorities have called the largest in state history. He faces six federal and four state charges.
Read the full statement:
“Because we have been hospitalized and receiving medical care, we have not been able to provide much information regarding the horrible circumstances of June 14th, but would now like to provide a statement offering more clarity of what happened.
“After having attended the Humphrey Mondale dinner on Friday, June 13th, we returned to our home, joined there by our adult daughter, Hope. At approximately 2:00 a.m., we were all awakened by the sounds of pounding on the front door and shouts of someone seeking entry, identifying himself as a police officer. When the door was opened, all three of us were in the entryway. John initially lunged at the gunman as the weapon was pointed directly at him, getting struck nine times. As John fell, Yvette reached out to push the man and shut the door, succeeding before she was also hit eight times by gunfire. Hope then rushed to shut the door and secured the lock; she got to the phone and shared with the 911 operator that Senator John Hoffman had been shot in his home. Her brave actions and quick thinking triggered the notice to public safety officials that a politically-motivated act was potentially underway.
“As we continue to receive medical care, we are deeply grateful for those providers, for the first responders and for all those in law enforcement who worked so quickly, professionally and selflessly to safeguard others and to apprehend the shooter, starting with our own officers in Champlin and Brooklyn Park. We are heartbroken to know that our friends Melissa and Mark Hortman were assassinated. Our daughter Hope and Sophie Hortman went to school together, and we know that they – along with Colin Hortman – will have each other’s support as we all work through the devastating consequences of that horrific night. We want to thank all those at Fernbrook School behind the GoFundMe account – you will be helping us pick up the broken pieces of our lives. We are uplifted by the prayers and support from so many across the state of Minnesota and the country: thank you.
“Choosing to work in the public sector, even in as limited a way as John’s career as a senator, has always meant sacrificing a level of privacy. But now we are grappling with the reality that we live in a world where public service carries such risks as being targeted because someone disagrees with you or doesn’t like what you stand for. As a society, as a nation, as a community, we must work together to return to a level of civility that allows us all to live peacefully. The future for our children depends on that. We will be praying for that work and appreciate all those who will join with us.”
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