Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman and family sue over shooting

The Hoffmans allege assault, battery, and emotional distress in civil lawsuit against accused shooter Vance Boelter.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 8:35pm

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An extreme close-up of a single bullet casing on a dark surface, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash, conceptually representing the violence of the crime without depicting any actual victims or weapons.A civil lawsuit seeks accountability for a politically-motivated attack that left a Minnesota senator and his family with lasting physical and emotional scars.Hoffman Today

Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman, his wife Yvette, and their daughter Hope are suing Vance Boelter, the man accused of shooting the Hoffmans at their home last June before killing former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband. The civil lawsuit alleges assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and other charges against Boelter.

Why it matters

The Hoffmans' lawsuit seeks accountability and compensation for the physical and emotional trauma they endured from the attack, which was part of a broader series of politically motivated shootings targeting Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota.

The details

Authorities say Boelter impersonated a police officer when he shot Sen. Hoffman nine times and Yvette Hoffman eight times at their Champlin home. Their daughter Hope witnessed the attack and suspended her education to help repair the family home and cope with the emotional trauma. Both John and Yvette Hoffman suffered permanent injuries and were hospitalized for six weeks. The lawsuit also alleges Boelter stalked Yvette and Hope Hoffman prior to the attack.

  • On June 14, 2025, Boelter allegedly shot the Hoffmans at their Champlin home.
  • After the attack, Boelter is accused of killing former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark in Brooklyn Park.
  • Boelter was taken into custody near his Green Isle home after a roughly 40-hour manhunt, described as the largest in state history.

The players

John Hoffman

A Minnesota state senator who was shot nine times by Vance Boelter at his Champlin home, sustaining permanent injuries.

Yvette Hoffman

The wife of Sen. John Hoffman, who was shot eight times by Vance Boelter at their Champlin home and suffered permanent physical weakness that prevents her from performing the functions of her previous job as an educator.

Hope Hoffman

The daughter of Sen. John and Yvette Hoffman, who witnessed the attack on her parents and suspended her education to help repair the family home and cope with the emotional trauma.

Vance Boelter

The man accused of shooting the Hoffmans and later killing former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, facing federal charges including murder, stalking, and firearms violations.

Melissa Hortman

The former Minnesota House Speaker who was killed by Vance Boelter along with her husband Mark in Brooklyn Park.

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What they’re saying

“We must hold Vance Boelter accountable for the horrific violence he inflicted on our family.”

— John Hoffman, Minnesota State Senator

What’s next

Boelter faces federal charges, including murder, stalking, and firearms violations. If convicted of the murder charges, he could face life in prison or the death penalty.

The takeaway

This civil lawsuit by the Hoffman family seeks justice and compensation for the physical and emotional trauma they endured from a politically motivated attack that was part of a broader series of shootings targeting Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota.