Boelter's Wife Says Shootings Were a 'Betrayal'

The wife of Vance Boelter, the man accused of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, has publicly addressed the case for the first time. Jenny Boelter released a statement Thursday describing the attacks as "a betrayal" and expressing shock over her husband's alleged actions, NBC News reports. Vance Boelter, 57, faces state and federal charges after shootings on June 14 left House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, dead. State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were wounded. Police arrested Boelter two days later after the biggest manhunt in the state's history.

"We are absolutely shocked, heartbroken, and completely blindsided," Jenny Boelter said. "This violence does not at all align with our beliefs as a family. It is a betrayal of everything we hold true as tenets of our Christian Faith. We are appalled and horrified by what occurred, and our hearts are incredibly heavy for the victims of the unfathomable tragedy." She added that the family has cooperated fully with investigators since law enforcement first contacted them.

Jenny Boelter said that contrary to media reports, she was not pulled over by law enforcement on the morning of June 14, she agreed to meet officers at a gas station, MPR News reports. "We voluntarily agreed to meet with them, answer their questions, provide all items they requested, and cooperate with all searches," she said. She said she and her children "express our deepest sympathies to the Hortman and Hoffman families." The Hoffmans, who were each shot nine times, recently praised the bravery and quick thinking of their daughter.