Law Enforcement Orders Independent Review of June 14th Minnesota Lawmaker Attacks

(KNSI) — Law enforcement agencies investigating the June 14th attacks on Minnesota lawmakers have brought in the International Association of Chiefs of Police to conduct an after-action review.

The probe will cover the entire 43-hour period, starting with the first 911 call just after 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 14th, and ending with suspect Vance Boelter’s arrest the night of Sunday, June 15th, following the largest manhunt in Minnesota history. Officials stress that the review isn’t just about looking back at Minnesota’s response, coordination, and communication. They also want to learn and provide insights that could help law enforcement agencies nationwide.

The agencies involved in the response and requesting the report include the Brooklyn Park Police Department, Champlin Police Department, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota Department of Public Safety, which includes the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Minnesota State Patrol, and the New Hope Police Department.

The study and report will cost $429,500. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety is putting in $210,000, with the rest split among participating agencies. Hennepin County Department of Administration is contributing $165,000, the City of Brooklyn Park is paying $27,488, the City of Champlin is covering $18,039, and the City of New Hope is adding $8,518.

Prosecutors say Boelter had been methodically planning the attacks for months. In his SUV, which was in the driveway of House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman’s home in Brooklyn Park, there was a hit list with dozens of names on it, including state Senator John Hoffman. Boelter is accused of going to the Hoffmans’ house in Champlin, disguising himself as a police officer, saying he was there to investigate a potential political assassination plot, before pushing his way in and shooting the Senator and his wife, Yvette, a combined 17 times. They both lived.

Court papers say he then went to the home of a lawmaker in Maple Grove, but they were away on vacation. Afterward, he headed to New Hope, targeting another legislator. By then, agencies had already gotten word of what happened in Champlin and were notified to be on the lookout for someone impersonating a police officer and driving a police style SUV. Boelter was in New Hope and sitting in his vehicle when an officer drove up in her cruiser and tried to engage him in conversation. He refused to acknowledge the officer, not speaking and staring straight ahead. She drove away, and Boelter then headed for the Hortmans’ home. The New Hope Police Department has so far refused to give the identity of the officer.

Brooklyn Park police dispatched officers to the house around 3:30 and say they arrived as Boelter was shooting Mark Hortman through the front door. Boelter then allegedly turned the gun on the officers, who exchanged gunfire with police, before he went into the house, killed Melissa, shot their dog, Gilbert, and escaped.

The manhunt ended when police arrested him near his home in Sibley County.

The after-action report should take about six months to finish, and the findings will be released to the public once it’s done.

Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson said by looking at what went right and where things could improve, they can get better at responding to future emergencies and share lessons that might help police departments across the country keep people safe.
Vincent Talucci, the IACP’s executive director and CEO, praised the DPS’s commitment to transparency, working together and constantly improving how they serve their communities. He added that by doing this thorough evaluation, these agencies are promoting best practices and making public safety responses better in Minnesota and beyond.

Agencies that handle critical incident investigations regularly include after-action reviews in their processes.

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