The shootings of Minnesota lawmakers and the case against Vance Boelter

Gone quiet · last story Sep 2, 2026

What this arc covers

The June 2025 shootings of two Minnesota Democratic lawmakers at their homes, which killed state House leader Melissa Hortman and her husband and wounded another lawmaker: the charges against Vance Boelter, the special election for Hortman's seat that returned the House to a tie, Trump's claims about her death, Boelter's guilty plea and life sentences in federal court, and his state case.

Minnesota

Earliest story we hold Jun 14, 2025 · 17 stories · 94 independent sources (counted once each) · 445 days

Part ofMinnesotaVance BoelterMelissa HortmanDemocratic PartyTim WalzMinnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor PartyMinnesotansSouth Dakota

Part of Political violence in the US

  1. The 2024 attempts on Trump's life in Butler and at his Florida golf clubJul 14, 2024 – Sep 24, 2026
  2. The arson attack on Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's residenceApr 13 – Oct 14, 2025
  3. The shootings of Minnesota lawmakers and the case against Vance BoelterThis arcJun 14, 2025 – Sep 2, 2026
  4. The killing of Charlie Kirk: the case against Tyler RobinsonSep 10, 2025 – Sep 19, 2026
  5. The deadly shooting at an ICE facility in DallasSep 24 – Oct 14, 2025
  6. The shooting of two National Guard members near the White HouseNov 26 – Dec 1, 2025
  7. The 2026 correspondents' dinner shooting and the attempted assassination chargeApr 23 – Jul 21, 2026

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Sep 22026Vance Boelter to make second appearance for state charges11 articles · 10 independent sources
0 left, 1 center, 1 right
Aug 3– 42026Man who killed top Minnesota lawmaker and her husband makes first state court appearance9 articles · 9 independent sources
2 left, 0 center, 1 right
Jul 31– Aug 32026Vance Boelter in court on state charges; No plea filed23 articles · 13 independent sources
0 left, 3 center, 2 right

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

  1. Jun 14, 20251 Minnesota lawmaker killed, 1 injured in targeted shootings. Here39 articles · 27 independent sources
  2. Jun 15 – 17, 2025What we know about the investigation into the suspected Minnesota gunman25 articles · 21 independent sources
  3. Jul 15 – 16, 2025Federal grand jury indicts Vance Boelter in Minnesota lawmaker shootings29 articles · 20 independent sources
  4. Aug 7, 2025Suspect in shooting of Minnesota lawmakers pleads not guilty in federal court17 articles · 17 independent sources
  5. Jul 21 – 27, 2026Minnesota lawmaker’s killer sentenced to 2 life terms plus 40 years142 articles · 64 independent sources
    1. Jul 21, 2026Federal prosecutors seeking two life sentences for Vance Boelter
    2. Jul 22, 2026Minnesota man gets 2 life sentences for killing Democratic lawmaker and her husband

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

Jun 2025Sep 2025Dec 2025Mar 2026Jun 2026Aug 2026

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Every week as a table
Week ofLeftCenterRightArticles
Jun 9, 2025812642
Jun 16, 2025810337
Jun 23, 202555224
Jul 14, 202535429
Aug 4, 202521217
Aug 11, 202510313
Sep 15, 202523117
Dec 29, 20250129
Jun 8, 202625522
Jul 20, 20269168139
Jul 27, 202610111
Aug 3, 202623222
Aug 31, 202601111

Stories before June 28, 2026 come from archived pages, so who covered them is limited to the outlets we recovered for that period.

29% left · 40% center · 31% right of 94 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 17 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. June 2025

    Jun 141 Minnesota lawmaker killed, 1 injured in targeted shootings. Here39 articles · 27 independent sources
    8 left, 12 center, 4 right
  2. Jun 15– 17What we know about the investigation into the suspected Minnesota gunman25 articles · 21 independent sources
    7 left, 6 center, 5 right
  4. Jun 18Police investigate apparent break-in at slain Minnesota lawmaker’s home8 articles · 8 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 1 right
  5. Jun 26Wife of Minnesota suspect says she was ‘blindsided’ by shootings of state politicians7 articles · 7 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 2 right
  6. Jun 27– 28Melissa Hortman, husband, dog to lie in state at Minnesota Capitol10 articles · 9 independent sources
    3 left, 3 center, 0 right
  7. Jun 28Funeral of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark7 articles · 5 independent sources
    3 left, 1 center, 1 right

  8. July 2025

    Jul 15– 16Federal grand jury indicts Vance Boelter in Minnesota lawmaker shootings29 articles · 20 independent sources
    3 left, 5 center, 4 right

  9. August 2025

    Aug 7Suspect in shooting of Minnesota lawmakers pleads not guilty in federal court17 articles · 17 independent sources
    2 left, 1 center, 2 right
  10. Aug 14– 15Hennepin County grand jury indicts Vance Boelter on first-degree murder charges13 articles · 13 independent sources
    1 left, 0 center, 3 right

  11. September 2025

    Sep 16– 17Minnesota House returns to a tie in special election to fill Melissa Hortman’s seat17 articles · 16 independent sources
    2 left, 3 center, 1 right

  12. January 2026

    Jan 4Democratic leaders condemn Trump’s claims about Hortman’s death9 articles · 9 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 2 right

  13. June 2026

    Jun 11Minnesota lawmaker shootings: Vance Boelter pleads guilty to all federal charges22 articles · 13 independent sources
    2 left, 5 center, 5 right

  14. July 2026

    Jul 21– 27Minnesota lawmaker’s killer sentenced to 2 life terms plus 40 years142 articles · 64 independent sources
    9 left, 16 center, 8 right
  15. Jul 31– Aug 3Vance Boelter in court on state charges; No plea filed23 articles · 13 independent sources
    0 left, 3 center, 2 right

  16. August 2026

    Aug 3– 4Man who killed top Minnesota lawmaker and her husband makes first state court appearance9 articles · 9 independent sources
    2 left, 0 center, 1 right

  17. September 2026

    Sep 2Vance Boelter to make second appearance for state charges11 articles · 10 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 1 right