KTOE Noon News 6-16-25
Top Stories for Noon 6-16-25:
- The man accused of killing a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband is facing federal murder and stalking charges. Minnesota Acting U.S. attorney Joseph Thompson said Vance Boelter [[ belter ]] visited the homes of two other lawmakers with the intention of harming them but one was not home and he was scared off by police at the other home. Boelter is also charged with shooting Democratic state senator John Hoffman and his wife. State lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed in the attacks. Minnesota officials said they would pursue first degree murder charges against him. Boelter could face the death penalty if convicted.
- A man is in custody after allegedly shooting someone in Maple Grove on Sunday, leading to a police standoff. Officers responded to a report of a person with a gun around 7:30 p.m. Officials say the man fired at someone, but it’s unknown if there were any injuries. On arrival, the suspect fled into his home. A standoff continued until 6:30 this morning (MON), then the man was arrested without incident.
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Mankato East Planetarium Offering Free Event Exploring Black Holes on June 20th
- Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife are reacting after they were wounded in a targeted shooting. The couple was allegedly shot by Vance Boelter on Saturday morning at their Champlin home. Yvette reportedly told U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar that she and her husband are lucky to be alive. She says she was shot eight times, and Senator Hoffman was shot nine times. Mrs. Hoffman learned that Boelter killed state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband on Saturday in Brooklyn Park. She said that her household is devastated by their loss, and there is no place for this kind of political hate.
- The burglary trial of Minnesota State Senator Nicole Mitchell is postponed following the murder of state legislator Melissa Hortman. Jury selection was scheduled to start this morning. Chief Judge Michael Fritz announced today that there is no credible argument supporting moving forward with the trial. He adds that the tragic and senseless violent events impacted the entire state and the nation. Judge Fritz also mentioned that he has some real concerns about safety and security. Mitchell’s attorneys confirmed that the state senator was on the hit list of suspect Vance Boelter. She is accused of breaking into her stepmother’s home in April 2024. A new trial date has not been determined.
- A man from Minnesota will spend ten years in federal prison for dealing large amounts of methamphetamine in Wisconsin. Prosecutors in Madison say thirty-two-year-old Xa Xiong of St. Paul pleaded guilty to distributing meth in February. A search of a storage unit in Eau Claire last July led to a backpack containing six pounds of meth. Xiong sold a pound to an undercover officer in Menomonie and was arrested trying to sell two pounds of meth to the same officer a week later.
