Minnesota monster who allegedly shot lawmakers also killed their service dog

Days after the tragic murder of Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, the family dog had to be euthanized.

The shocking shootings took the nation by surprise as Vance Boelter allegedly targeted Hortman and her fellow lawmaker, Sen. John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette. Adding to the tragedy of the attacks is the news that Boelter also allegedly shot the Hortmans’ rescue dog, Gilbert. The trained service dog was forced to be put down due to the severity of his wounds.

Responding to an X post about the shooting, Minnesota House Rep. Erin Koegel updated the public on the heartbreaking turn of events:

Her children had to put down him after learning their parents had been murdered. Gilbert wasn’t going to survive. Melissa loved that dog. She trained him as a service dog. He flunked out of school and she was so happy he failed so he could stay! She needed him in heaven with her.

— Erin Koegel (@ErinKoegel) June 16, 2025

“Her children had to put down him after learning their parents had been murdered. Gilbert wasn’t going to survive. Melissa loved that dog. She trained him as a service dog. He flunked out of school and she was so happy he failed so he could stay! She needed him in heaven with her,” Koegel wrote.

Helping Paws, a nonprofit organization aiming to “further independence and quality of life through the use of assistance dogs,” posted on Gilbert’s passing on Facebook, sharing photos of the pair.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share the tragic news of Gilbert’s passing. We can confirm that he did not survive the attack at the Hortman family’s home early Saturday morning,” the post reads. “This is a profound loss for the entire Helping Paws community. We are mourning the loss of two dedicated volunteers and one of our beloved dogs who once trained in our program. We’ve been deeply moved by the outpouring of support and compassion we’ve received. In response, we will soon make a formal announcement regarding the establishment of a fund in honor of the Hortman family and Gilbert. This fund will support our program placing service dogs with veterans and first responders living with PTSD. Thank you for holding this family—and our community—in your hearts.”

Vance Boelter, 57, was found and arrested after a two-day manhunt following the shocking attacks on the lawmakers. He has been hit with a slew of federal charges, including two counts of stalking, two counts of murder, and two counts of firearm-related crimes.

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