Minneapolis shooting survivors John and Yvette Hoffman have revealed how their daughter Hope, a prominent disability advocate, helped save their lives and alert police to a potential killing spree.
The gunman, named as Vance Boelter, 57, went to the Hoffmans’ house at around 2 a.m. on June 14. John Hoffman, a Democratic state senator, was hit by nine bullets, before his wife was shot eight times.
The gunman then went to the home of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, killing them both. He gave himself up to police the following day and was said to have had a hit list with the names of 70 top Democrats, including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
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Boelter faces charges of murder and attempted murder at both state and federal level, which could carry the death sentence. He will appear in court next week.
John Hoffman remains in hospital in what was called a “critical but stable” condition, while Yvette Hoffman has returned home.
In a statement released by the family, the Hoffmans have offered more “clarity” about the events of June 14, including the role their adult daughter Hope, who lives with spina bifida, played in limiting Boelter’s killing spree.
The family were awoken at around 2 a.m. by the sounds of “pounding on the front door” by someone identifying themselves as a police officer.
The statement reads, “When the door was opened, all three of us were in the entryway. John initially lunged at the gunman as the weapon was pointed directly at him, getting struck nine times. As John fell, Yvette reached out to push the man and shut the door, succeeding before she was also hit eight times by gunfire.”
“Hope then rushed to shut the door and secured the lock; she got to the phone and shared with the 911 operator that Senator John Hoffman had been shot in his home. Her brave actions and quick thinking triggered the notice to public safety officials that a politically-motivated act was potentially underway.”
The Hoffman family thanked medical workers and first responders, and paid respect to their friends Melissa and Mark Hortman.
The statement ended with a comment on the social and political divisions in modern America.
“Choosing to work in the public sector, even in as limited a way as John’s career as a senator, has always meant sacrificing a level of privacy,” the statement, which was signed by John and Yvette Hoffman, read.
“But now we are grappling with the reality that we live in a world where public service carries such risks as being targeted because someone disagrees with you or doesn’t like what you stand for.”
They concluded, “As a society, as a nation, as a community, we must work together to return to a level of civility that allows us all to live peacefully. The future for our children depends on that. We will be praying for that work and appreciate all those who will join with us.”
Nonprofit law firm Hof Law, which advocates for the rights of the Disabled and the Underserved, also released a statement praising Hope Hoffman.
“Ms. Hoffman’s timely and decisive action is a powerful reminder that leadership in moments of crisis often comes from individuals with lived experience navigating adversity,” the statement read.
“As a person with access and functional needs, Ms. Hoffman exemplifies the type of resolve, perspective, and moral clarity that disability communities often develop through their unique journeys... Too often, society underestimates those with disabilities—yet here again, a member of the community showed strength and heroism when it mattered most."
