The Brief
- The Department of Justice will not seek the death penalty against Vance Boelter, who is accused of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses.
- Boelter faces multiple federal and state charges, including murder, attempted murder and firearms offenses.
- The shootings happened at the homes of Rep. Melissa Hortman and Sen. John Hoffman on June 14, 2025.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – FOX 9 has learned the Department of Justice will not seek the death penalty against Vance Boelter, the man accused of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, after prosecutors determined the crimes he faced were not eligible under federal law.
Vance Boelter will not face death penalty
The backstory:
Boelter is accused of shooting House Speaker Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman in their Brooklyn Park home, as well as shooting Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette Hoffman in their Champlin home on June 14, 2025. Prosecutors also allege that same morning he stopped at the Maple Grove home of Rep. Kristin Bahner while she and her family were out of town, then later drove to the New Hope home of Sen. Ann Rest, and left the scene after encountering an officer who was conducting a welfare check.
A federal grand jury indicted Boelter on six counts related to the attacks of the Hortmans and Hoffmans, including stalking, murder and firearms charges. Federal prosecutors were deciding whether to pursue the death penalty in the case. However, sources tell FOX 9 that ultimately prosecutors determined that the crimes Boelter faced were not eligible for the death penalty under federal law.
What they’re saying:…