A tragic and politically charged attack shook Minnesota over the weekend, as Vance Boelter—a 57-year-old man connected to both a private armed security firm and an evangelical ministry—allegedly murdered state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark at their home while impersonating a police officer. Boelter also allegedly shot state senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette at their home, leaving both in critical condition.
Law enforcement reports that Boelter’s car contained a manifesto and a hit list naming politicians, abortion providers, and abortion rights advocates. Police also discovered fliers for nationwide “No Kings” protests against former President Donald Trump that coincided with the shootings, highlighting the political motivations underlying the assault.
Boelter and his wife run Praetorian Guard Security Services, an armed security company serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Public records indicate Boelter also headed an evangelical outreach, Revoformation Ministries, which he operated with his wife, and was ordained in 1993. The ministry’s archived website notes that Boelter’s missionary work included travel to Gaza and the West Bank during the Second Intifada, where he engaged militant Islamist groups in dialogue about rejecting violence.
A subsequent redesign of the ministry’s website, managed by the Israeli firm J-Town, reflected Boelter’s continued religious outreach and ongoing interest in the region. According to business records, he recently served as CEO of Red Lion Group, which pursued ventures in oil, logging, and glass production in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In recent years, Boelter publicly espoused hardline views against abortion and LGBTQ rights. In a 2023 sermon in Matadi, Congo, he called for unity among Christian churches and denounced abortion. In the same year, he delivered a sermon targeting LGBTQ people, expressing exclusionary religious perspectives.
Before it was taken offline, Boelter’s Facebook profile showed support for major evangelical figures such as Reinhard Bonnke and Smith Wigglesworth, and organizations like the Alliance Defending Freedom, renowned for their anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ activism.
Boelter’s friends expressed shock at the news, stating the man they knew was focused on faith and holiness. Nathalie Nkashama, a close friend, said, “This cannot be the person I know.”
Professionally, Boelter had a background in the food industry, including time at Johnsonville Sausage, Del Monte, and Greencore. In 2019, Minnesota governor Tim Walz appointed him to a Workforce Development Board and Boelter also chaired the Dakota-Scott Workforce Development Board.
On the night of the attacks, police reported finding an SUV in the suspect’s possession outfitted to resemble a police vehicle, equipped with emergency lights, tactical vests, a badge, and a taser—consistent with the tactics of Praetorian Guard Security Services, which prides itself on providing only armed security.
Police officers first responded to Senator Hoffman’s residence at around 2 a.m. and then checked on the Hortman home at about 3:35 a.m., encountering the armed suspect dressed like an officer. He fired at the police and fled the scene. As of Saturday, Boelter remained at large.
Melissa Hortman, first elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2004 and Speaker of the House from 2019 to 2025, leaves a legacy of significant reforms in abortion rights, voting, criminal justice, and marijuana legalization. Governor Walz remembered her as “irreplaceable,” noting her dedication to public service and progressive improvements across the state.
This devastating event has left Minnesota mourning the loss of public servants while prompting critical examination of the intersections between extremism, private security, and political violence.
Source: https://www.wired.com/story/shooting-minnesota-melissa-hortman-vance-boelter/