Sen. John Hoffman's neighbor charged with harassment in July 4 fireworks incident

Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman's next door neighbor is accused of harassing the lawmaker and his family while setting off fireworks on July Fourth.

According to the complaint, the Champlin officer responded to the Hoffmans' neighbor's house around 9 p.m. that evening to investigate an illegal fireworks complaint. The officer noticed burn marks and debris on the driveway and asked the 66-year-old homeowner if John Hoffman had made the complaint.

Two days later, an officer spoke with John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, who said that they watched home security video on July 5 and noticed a man's voice in the video, who said "this one's for f****** what's her name Hope." Hope, the couple confirmed, is their daughter.

The complaint says that the statement was followed by several loud noises. The man said "this one's for you John" and "this one's for you buddy" and made more "loud concussions," the charges say.

The Hoffmans told police that the man's voice was their neighbor's. John Hoffman said that 10 years earlier, the family had a restraining order against him, the complaint says.

John Hoffman told police that the fireworks sounded like a 9mm firearm, and told the officer that his family had been the target of an assassination attempt last year. 

Police spoke to the Hoffmans' neighbor, who admitted to shooting off the fireworks and making comments about his neighbors while doing so. He said he was just "smarting off," the complaint says.

The neighbor is charged with one count of harassment, which is a gross misdemeanor, and one count of disorderly conduct, which is a misdemeanor. If he is convicted of harassment, he could face 364 days in prison.

Vance Boelter, the man who shot John and Yvette Hoffman in what officials called a politically-motivated attack, was sentenced to two life terms in prison followed by 40 years. He pleaded guilty in federal court to shooting the couple, targeting their daughter Hope and killing former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark. 

He made his first court appearance for his state case on Monday.