Video Of Murdered Minn. Democrat Shows Her Upset After Migrant Funding Vote
A news report featuring an interview with Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, visibly upset over a vote she cast against funding healthcare for illegal immigrants in her state, has gone viral online.
The video surfaced just a day after Hortman and her husband, Mark, were murdered at their home in Brooklyn Park. In a separate incident in Champlin, State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were also shot multiple times, but they have survived.
Authorities have identified 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter as the suspect sought in connection with the early-morning shootings.
In the news report, Hortman was extremely emotional in describing how she voted against including the provision in a hard-fought budget deal with Republicans, who control the Minnesota House. Some have speculated that she was “terrified” by her vote, which came just days before she was shot and killed.
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Hortman was a member of the Democratic Farm Labor Party, which is affiliated with the national Democratic Party.
The decision to eliminate healthcare funding for illegal immigrants in the state came as the Minnesota program was experiencing severe cost overruns. But some have speculated online that the motive behind Hortman’s murder was her vote against the provision, making her the lone DFL member of her caucus to oppose it.
🚨Melissa Hortman sounded fearful after voting to repeal healthcare for illegal aliens
— Alec Lace (@AlecLace) June 14, 2025
Almost as if she knew that her base would become unhinged
She and her husband were tragically shot and killed. A targeted attack, per Gov. Walz.
Was her vote the motive? pic.twitter.com/ebQjP5y5lm
Boelter, meanwhile, remains at large after fleeing on foot following a shootout with police at the Hortman residence. He left behind a fake police SUV outfitted with emergency lights.
Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley confirmed that a manifesto recovered from the suspect’s vehicle listed several lawmakers and officials, including Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman, as intended targets. The “No Kings” flyers, previously reported by the Minnesota State Patrol, have drawn scrutiny for their apparent connection to nationwide protests planned for Saturday that oppose President Trump’s policies.
“When we did a search of the vehicle, we did find a manifesto that identified many lawmakers and other officials. We immediately made alerts to the state to provide security wherever necessary,” Bruley said in a press conference.
Authorities, including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, have condemned the shootings as “politically motivated” acts of violence. In response, the State Emergency Operations Center has been activated to support the ongoing manhunt for the suspect.
The State Patrol issued a statement discouraging attendance at the “No Kings” protests, citing the overnight attacks: “Given the targeted shootings of state lawmakers, we are asking the public to not attend today’s planned demonstrations across Minnesota out of an abundance of caution.”
According to his LinkedIn profile, Boelter is listed as the CEO of Red Lion Group, a company based in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is also identified as the director of Praetorian Guard Security Services, a security firm reportedly established by his wife, according to the company’s website.
“I have been doing projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Central Africa for the last three years with the Red Lion Group,” Boelter wrote on his LinkedIn page last month, noting that he is currently open to work.
Boelter has an extensive background in security, with reported experience in Africa, North America, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East, including the Gaza Strip, according to the website of Praetorian Guard Security Services. The site states he received training from members of the U.S. military and private firms, and features images of tactical gear and law enforcement-style uniforms.
