On June 14, Minnesota lawmakers Melissa Hortman, 55, and John Hoffman, 60, and their spouses were attacked in their respective homes, with emergency dispatch audio having since been released of the moment dispatchers attended the scene.
The attack killed Minnesota Rep. Hortman and her husband Mark, while Senator Hoffman and his wife Yvette remain in hospital receiving treatment for their injuries.
Police confirmed that they were first notified of the shooting at Hoffman’s home at approximately 2.00am, according to Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
They then ‘proactively’ visited Hortman’s home where they were met with the suspect – named by police as Vance Luther Boelter, 57 – ‘immediately’ firing at them.
Evans claimed: “The individual was able to escape during that exchange of gunfire.”
Boelter is alleged to have text his roommate that he ‘may be dead shortly’. Law enforcement said they found a manifesto that named several other people on his alleged hit list as it was revealed that those on the list were abortion rights activists.
State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark died from their injuries (Minnesota House of Representatives photographer’s office/Minnesota State Senate)
Audio recordings from the night in question were obtained by TMZ, where dispatchers can be heard describing the injuries sustained by the lawmakers in their homes.
According to the audio, Hoffman was shot once in the elbow and once in the abdomen, where he had ‘bleeding going on in his stomach’ that was ‘very distended.’
There was also said to be a female victim in the home with Hoffman who had been shot three times, once in her arm and twice in her abdomen.
Hortman and her husband had also sustained gunshot wounds, with a second audio recording detailing the account of medical dispatchers revealing that one victim was going into cardiac arrest while the other had died at the scene before emergency services arrived.
Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette are still in hospital (Minnesota House of Representatives photographer’s office/Minnesota State Senate)
They claimed that the suspect may have holed up inside of the home of his victims.
That same day, a press conference was held in which authorities stated that they had exchanged gunfire with the alleged suspect at Hortman’s home, but he managed to escape on foot.
Police shared that the suspect had imitated a police officer and was currently at large and that he had been wearing ‘a light-colored cowboy hat with a dark-colored long-sleeve collared shirt or coat, light pants and carrying a dark bag’ during the last time he was seen.
As he could be ‘armed and dangerous’, police issued a manhunt for him in Brooklyn Park.
Hortman was the top House Democratic leader in the state legislature and a former house speaker. She was first elected in 2004.
Meanwhile, Hoffman, a Democrat, was first elected in 2012. He runs Hoffman Strategic Advisors, a consulting firm.
He previously served as vice-chairman of the Anoka Hennepin School Board, which manages the largest school district in Minnesota.
Both Hoffman and Hortman represented districts located north of Minneapolis.
Featured Image Credit: Minnesota Legislature
Topics: Police, Gun Crime, Mental Health, US News, Politics
A US mayor says two state politicians were shot in their homes.
Minnesota mayor Ryan Sabas of Champlin said state senator John Hoffman and state representative Melissa Hortman were shot, as well as their respective partners.
Tragically Hortman and her husband have been confirmed to have died in the ordeal, says CBS News.
A person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that investigators believe that the suspect may have been posing as a law enforcement officer.
The person said investigators were still working to establish motive for the attacks and were still in the early stages of an investigation.
Hoffman, a Democrat, was first elected in 2012. He runs Hoffman Strategic Advisors, a consulting firm.
He previously served as vice-chairman of the Anoka Hennepin School Board, which manages the largest school district in Minnesota.
Meanwhile Hortman was the top House Democratic leader in the state legislature and a former house speaker. She was first elected in 2004.
Both Hoffman and Hortman represented districts located north of Minneapolis.
Speaking out about the sad events that unfolded over night, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz branded the shootings as being ‘politically motivated’.
“Hortman was someone who served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, humor, and a sense of service,” Walz went on to say as he paid tribute to Hortman. “She was a formidable public servant. A fixture and a giant in Minnesota.”
He added that they are ‘cautiously optimistic’ that Hoffman and his wife, who were reportedly shot ‘multiple times’, will survive the ordeal.
They are said to now be out of surgery and recovering.
Minnesota Legislature House Speaker Melissa Hortman – seen left – has tragically died (Glen Stubbe/Star Tribune via Getty Images)
In the wake of the shootings, legislators have been warned to take extra safety precautions, especially as the shooter is currently still at large.
The suspect is described as ‘a white man with brown hair who’s believed to be wearing a blue shirt and blue pants with a tactical vest’, per CBS.
Brooklyn Park Police Department has issued a shelter-in-place order for a three-mile radius of Edinburgh Golf Course, BBC News reports.
Police have warned that should they come to your door, they will be in pairs and not alone. If there’s just one officer, you should call 911 and law enforcement will be able to confirm if a genuine member of the force was in your area.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email info@grievewell.com.
Featured Image Credit: Minnesota Senate
The chilling final words of a young man who was reportedly ‘shot in the head’ by his own father while protecting his pregnant fiancée have been revealed.
Kevin Ward had stopped by his father’s home in High Ridge on Christmas Eve when the pair reportedly became embroiled in a heated argument which resulted in a fatal gunshot to the head, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.
The 26-year-old and his pregnant fiancée, Kaitlyn, were due to celebrate Christmas at Kevin’s mom’s house, Katherine Ward, but decided to briefly visit his father, Harold Luster, having made the trip home from St. Louis.
Kevin Ward died of a fatal gunshot wound to the head (KSDK News/YouTube)
However, Kevin tragically didn’t make it to his mom’s for the holidays.
The incident reportedly unfolded as Kevin and Harold argued over cheating allegations relating to Katherine – and the 61-year-old allegedly initially pulled a gun out on Kaitlyn.
The Kansas City Star reports that Harold suspected Kaitlyn had been ‘withholding information’ and said to the fiancee, ‘do you wanna get shot?’
From there, the situation escalated. Kevin told her ‘to run and call 911 if something happened’ as he stepped in and tried to calm the situation.
Harold Luster has been charged with murder (Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook)
CCTV footage from a neighbor’s home shows a flash went off and a victim falling to the ground with an apparent injury to the head.
When police and emergency services arrived at the scene, Kevin was found deceased with his hands in his pockets.
Harold has since been charged with first-degree murder and armed with criminal action.
He has been jailed without bond.
Now, court documents reveal the chilling final words Kevin uttered before he was fatally shot.
Speaking to his father, he reportedly said: “You’re not going to shoot her”, to which Harold allegedly replied: “You wanna get shot instead?”
Kaitlyn then claimed to see her soon-to-be father-in-law shoot a single shot at Kevin’s head before he collapsed to the ground.
Kevin’s heartbroken mother has since spoken out about the traumatic loss of her son in her appeal for justice.
Katherine Ward on KSDK News (KSDK News/YouTube)
“A senseless act took my baby away from me”, Katherine said to KSDK on Friday, before recounting some details of the altercation.
She continued: “[Harold] and another family member had been arguing prior, that did not have nothing to do with Kevin.
“He was already worked up over that incident.”
The mom also claimed Harold had called her during the heated argument and could hear her son saying: ‘Dad, why are you doing this? I don’t deserve this’, before he ended the call.
“Kevin died with a gunshot to his forehead and his hands tucked in his pockets”, she continued, “He was ultimately going to shoot Kevin’s fiancée and Kevin sacrificed himself, he was the hero that night.
“He would rather die than have her and that baby taken.”
Featured Image Credit: Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office/KSDK News via YouTube
Liv Bridge
Sheriff deputy’s son in custody after mass shooting kills 2 and injures 6 as chilling details emerge
The shooting at Florida State University took the lives of two people and left at least six injured
The son of an ‘exceptional’ police deputy has been taken into custody following a shooting at a Florida university killing two and injuring six.
Yesterday (April 17), a person with a gun opened fire at Florida State University, killing two and injuring at least six others.
The names of those killed have yet to be publicly released, however, a Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare spokesperson told CNN that the six injured are now in fair condition after receiving care.
A FSU student named Phoenix Ikner is accused of the shooting and has been placed in custody, according to various reports.
The 20-year-old is reported as being the son of a police officer and having used one of his mom’s weapons during the shooting.
Authorities have not yet ascertained a motive for the shooting, however, they addressed the suspect being the son of one of their deputies during a press conference.
Who is Phoenix Ikner?
During a press conference, Tallahassee Police Department stated: “Our Deputy, Deputy Ikner, has been with the lieutenant sheriff’s office for over 18 years, she has a tremendous job that she’s done, her service to this community has been exceptional.
“Unfortunately, her son had access to one of her weapons and that was one of the weapons found at the scene and we are continuing our investigation into how that weapon was used. and what other weapons, perhaps, he may’ve had access to.”
The department also noted the alleged shooter was also ‘a long-standing member of the sheriff’s office’s youth advisory council’.
“So he has been steeped in the Leon county sheriff’s office family, engaged in a number of training programs that we have,” the spokesperson continued. “So it’s not a surprise to us that he had access to weapons.”
Reflecting the event is ‘tragic’ in ‘more ways than’ many ‘could even fathom,’ the department resolved: “We will make sure we do everything we can to make sure we prosecute and make sure that we send a message to folks that this will not be tolerated here in Leon county and I daresay, across the state and across this nation.”
While police continue their investigation into the incident and the motive of the suspect, eyewitnesses have since come forward.
Two are dead and at least six were injured in the shooting ( Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Getty Images)
Eyewitness accounts of the Florida University shooting
A 21-year-old communications student named Ryan Cedergren told AP News that he and around 30 other students hid in the bowling alley area of the university after seeing others fleeing, noting ‘in that moment’ it was simply about ‘survival’.
Fellow student Chris Pento told WCTV: “It was surreal.”
Tallahassee Police Department’s Chief Lawrence Revell said in a statement: “Our hearts are with the victims, families, students, and larger Florida State University community in the wake of this tragedy. What occurred today was a heinous and despicable act of violence.”
The suspect was injured at the scene and taken to hospital, as of last night reported as having ‘serious but non-life-threatening injuries,’ he added.
He resolved: “[…] As of this evening, the crime scenes have been processed. TPD continues to express sincere gratitude to every agency that responded to assist. This remains an open and active investigation, and TPD is committed to bringing justice to the victims in this case.”
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact GrieveWell on (734) 975-0238, or email info@grievewell.com.
Featured Image Credit: Instagram
Topics: Crime, Florida, Gun Crime, True crime, US News, Mental Health
Poppy Bilderbeck
Chilling new details emerge in case of mom who murdered her four kids before taking her own life
Tranyelle Harshman shot and killed her four children in February
A Wyoming mom who murdered her four children before turning the gun on herself has had shocking details emerged about the day of the killings.
Tranyelle Harshman, 32, alerted police in Byron, Wyoming, after shooting her four children in their home, killing three almost instantly before turning the gun on herself.
Authorities reported that 911 received a call 1:30 p.m. local time on February 10 and a female caller reported ‘gunshots that occurred inside her home and further reported her daughters had been shot’.
The Big Horn County Sheriff’s Office press release stated: “When dispatchers asked the status of the gunshot victims the female stated that she believed them to be deceased.
“She told them two children would be located upstairs in their cribs and two would be located downstairs in their shared bedroom.
The mother killed her four children (KTVQ)
“The caller further stated she could be found in her upstairs bedroom and that she was going to do the same to herself.”
When the police arrived at the home, they found a 2-year-old and 9-year-old dead and a 7-year-old and another 2-year-old daughter alive, however, the 2-year-old would die at the scene.
All four children were shot in the head, PEOPLE reports.
Harshman, found with a single gunshot wound to her head, but was alive before succumbing to her injuries in hospital.
The 7-year-old girl was taken to a local hospital where she was ‘provided advanced life support’ before being airlifted another hospital for an ‘advanced level of care’, as per the release, but sadly passed away five days later.
A toxicology report has now revealed that before the killings, Harshman had ketamine and anti-anxiety drugs in her system, in the form of clonazepam.
The drug is often prescribed to help panic disorders and epilepsy, and can be also known as the brand Klonopin.
Clonazepam, a sedative, has side effects such as paranoia, suicidal ideation, and impairment of judgement, coordination, and memory.
Ketamine can have hallucinogenic effects and it is only FDA approved as an anesthetic, but not to treat mental health disorders, as per Johns Hopkins University.
The shooting happened at the family’s home (KTVQ)
Their toxicology reports, as reviewed by Cowboy State Daily, shows that the children who died at the scene had ‘unusual large amounts of Propanolol – beta-blocker – and Diphenhydramine – antihistamine which causes drowsiness – in their systems.’
Diphenhydramine can be found in drugs like Benadryl.
Propranolol is a beta-blocker that can be prescribed to help treat ailments such as blood pressure, chest pain, migraines, and tremors.
While there is no confirmation as to why the girls were on the medications, Cliff, Harshman’s husband told Cowboy State Daily that his wife’s medical treatments were her last hope to get better, after dealing with PTSD, depression and other challenges.
“I’m bitter that this has had to continue to be a thorn in my side, when I need to just… grieve my family’s loss,” Cliff said regarding the questions he has been asked. “I also want people to understand that this isn’t a chance to demonize different therapies. This works for a lot of different people.
“This was her last grasp at the rope, if you will, to hang on.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up for Cliff, and he has since spoken out about the horrific situation, telling Cowboy State Daily that his wife ‘is not a monster’.
He said she had been receiving treatment for mental health issues, which included postpartum depression.
He said: “My wife is not a monster. Most people don’t understand how that affects the brain. It’s a chemical imbalance … And it can be exacerbated by trying to fix it with medication.”
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 to reach a 24-hour crisis center or you can webchat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
