This story has been updated.
Sen. John Hoffman’s wife, Yvette, saved the life of her daughter during the assassination attempt at their Champlin home early Saturday morning, according to Hoffman’s nephew.
A man dressed as a cop “broke into my aunt and uncle’s house and shot him 6 and my aunt 5 times in a political act of terrorism,” the nephew, Mat Ollig, wrote on Facebook. “My aunt threw herself on her daughter, using her body as a shield to save her life.”
The daughter, Hope, is in her 20s. In a Saturday afternoon interview with the Minnesota Star Tribune, Ollig said both Hoffmans were out of surgery and recovering.
“Fingers crossed that they remain stable,” Ollig said. ”This is just a huge shock. The guy has no enemies. Just a wholesome guy who wants the best for everyone.”
Ollig has since removed the post and has not responded to requests for further comment, and Hope has criticized the Star Tribune’s account, suggesting it is “inaccurate.”
On Wednesday, Yvette and John Hoffman released the following statement to Morning Take:
“We are deeply disturbed by the false and invasive information provided by our estranged nephew, Mat Ollig. Any loving parent would protect their child at gunpoint. Hope living with disability doesn’t make that instinct any more heroic. Disability is not the story here. Media outlets choosing to highlight and pity her disability while ignoring her role in saving our lives is not only filled with inaccuracies — it’s ableism. We are so grateful she was at our house that night. Without Hope, we wouldn’t be here right now. Our daughter’s quick instincts and wherewithal to state that her dad is Senator John Hoffman when she called 911 led the police getting to the Hortman’s so quickly and saving countless other lives. Respect our privacy, and respect our daughter.”
