A far-right fanatic with a history of anti-LGBTQ rhetoric is now behind bars after allegedly murdering Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband in a chilling attack that has rocked the state’s political and queer communities.
Vance Boelter, now charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder, was arrested after a two-day manhunt in Green Isle, Minnesota. The carnage started in Brooklyn Park, where Boelter is accused of gunning down Rep. Hortman—a beloved advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and former Speaker of the House—and her husband, Mark, in their own home. But he didn’t stop there. Police say he then targeted another state lawmaker, Sen. Mark Hoffman, and Hoffman’s wife, Yvette, at their residence. Both survived the attack.
Hate Speech Wasn’t Just Rhetoric—It Was a Warning
Boelter’s twisted motivations weren’t hidden. In 2023, he delivered an anti-LGBTQ speech in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that now feels like a terrifying prelude to the violence. In videos resurfaced online, he ranted that Americans “don’t know what sex they are” and claimed “the enemy” had infiltrated people’s minds and souls. These statements, drenched in Christian nationalist vitriol, were part of a missionary-style event in the city of Matadi.
“You will never be happy on this earth,” Boelter preached in one particularly disturbing clip, “even in the heavens above.” He had reportedly traveled to the DRC under the guise of a food aid project but instead used the opportunity to spout far-right ideology.
Boelter had ties to local nonprofits and security firms and had been listed as a CEO on Minnesota Africans United’s website—though his bio has since been scrubbed.
LGBTQ+ Community Reacts: “This Was Political Terrorism”
The LGBTQ+ community isn’t calling this just another tragic crime—it’s being seen for what it is: political terrorism. Melissa Hortman was no ordinary target. She was a longtime supporter of LGBTQ+ rights and one of the loudest voices for equality in the Minnesota legislature. That Boelter chose her, after spouting homophobic garbage in Africa, paints a clear picture of hate turned deadly.
“He targeted our allies,” one Minneapolis LGBTQ activist told The Pink Times. “This was meant to send a message to queer people and anyone who dares to stand with us.”
The rhetoric of hate—particularly the kind that demonizes gender and sexual minorities under a religious banner—is not just ugly speech. As this tragedy shows, it becomes action. It becomes murder.
This arrest should send a chilling warning to lawmakers and community advocates: extremist views, especially those cloaked in religion and nationalism, are increasingly translating into real-world violence. And the LGBTQ+ community continues to be one of the first targets.
We must not just mourn Rep. Hortman—we must honor her by fighting like hell against the forces she bravely stood up to.