Melissa Hortman, 55, was killed at her Brooklyn Park home before dawn on June 14, 2025. According to authorities, a masked attacker who had been posing as law enforcement arrived at the house; officers later encountered the suspect at that residence and, in the chaos that followed, Melissa and her husband, Mark Hortman, were shot and died at the scene.

Investigators say the same gunman struck minutes earlier at the Champlin home of Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, seriously wounding them after gaining access by posing as an officer; prosecutors also alleged an attempt on their daughter, Hope. Officials described the attacks as a planned rampage targeting elected officials and their families and said the suspect had researched targets and moved from home to home.

Authorities identified the suspect as Vance Luther Boelter, who was located and taken into custody near Green Isle after a multi-day manhunt. State charges included counts of second-degree intentional murder and attempted murder, and federal prosecutors announced stalking, murder, and firearms allegations with an indictment on multiple federal counts. Melissa and Mark Hortman were described in obituaries as being tragically taken on June 14, 2025; they lay in state at the Minnesota State Capitol later that month, followed by a private funeral.

If anyone knew Melissa or has information about the events that night, please share what you know.