Minnesota Law Enforcement Agencies Hire IACP To Review June 14 Political Assassinations

ST. PAUL, MN — State and local law enforcement agencies in Minnesota have hired the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) to conduct an independent after-action review of their response to the June 14 shootings that left Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, her husband, Mark, and their family dog dead, and wounded state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.

The review will evaluate the massive, 43-hour manhunt for suspect Vance Boelter and assess coordination, communication, and decision-making across multiple agencies, officials said.

The IACP’s report is expected to take six months to complete, and its findings will be made public.

“I want to recognize the exceptional work of DPS staff and our law enforcement partners,” said Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson. “By examining what worked well and where we can improve, we can strengthen our ability to respond to future emergencies and also share lessons that can help law enforcement nationwide keep their communities safe.”

The IACP is globally recognized for its independent assessments of major incidents, the DPS said. The review will examine the entire 43-hour timeline, starting with the first 911 call just after 2:30 a.m. on June 14 and ending with Boelter’s arrest.

Agencies involved include the Brooklyn Park and Champlin police departments, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, State Patrol, and Department of Public Safety.

The study will cost $429,500, with DPS covering $210,000 and the rest shared among local agencies.

The announcement comes as Brooklyn Park police remain in a public dispute with the Star Tribune over its reporting of the initial response.

The department last week accused the newspaper of “grossly misrepresenting the facts” in an article that said officers waited for a drone to be deployed to see if Boelter was inside the Hortman home and if Melissa Hortman was still alive.

Police say that statement is false and that responding officers were unaware of any victims other than Mark Hortman at the time.

“Their actions were swift, courageous, and taken in the face of grave danger,” the department said, adding that it has asked the newspaper to issue a correction.

The Star Tribune has not done so. Its story, written by reporter Andy Mannix, cited interviews with Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley and body-camera timestamps showing about an hour between initial gunfire and entry into the home.

Boelter, 57, was indicted in July on federal charges for the killings of the Hortmans and the shootings of the Hoffmans. He faces life in prison or the death penalty if convicted.