Police searching for former appointee of Tim Walz in connection with fatal shootings in Minnesota, according to reports
A former appointee of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is being sought by police in connection with the fatal shooting of a state lawmaker, according to reports.
Police are searching for Vance Luther Boelter, 57, who was appointed by Walz in 2019 to serve a four-year stint on the Governor's Workforce Development Board, sources told The New York Post.
It comes after a shooter entered the Champlin residence of Senator John Hoffman and his wife early Saturday, shooting both and leaving them critically injured.
They then proceeded to the home of former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman, where she and her husband were fatally shot.
Local police, sheriff's deputies, and the FBI have launched an extensive manhunt, with SWAT teams seen moving through the sleepy Minnesota neighborhood where the shootings took place.
During a Saturday morning press conference, officials said they are investigating the possibility of multiple shooters, however no one is in custody.
Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said the suspect's vehicle contained a 'manifesto', a list of targets including both lawmakers, and signs for an anti-Trump 'NO KINGS' rally set to be held on Saturday.
The first shooting occurred just after 2am at Hoffman's home in Champlin, about 20 miles from Minneapolis. Hoffman and his wife were shot multiple times, KSTP reported.
Late on Saturday afternoon, officials admitted Boelter had slipped through the net as they widened their search efforts, and released new images of the suspect allegedly wearing a Halloween-style mask during the shootings.
A Minnesota state official was killed and another gravely injured on Saturday in what authorities believe were targeted attacks
The second attack took place at around 4am at Hortman's Brooklyn Park residence, eight miles south.
After that shooting, police engaged one of the suspects in a gunfight on the street, officials said.
Drew Evans, head of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, confirmed that the suspect escaped during the exchange and is still on the run.
At a press conference on Saturday morning, the Minnesota State Patrol urged people in the state not to attend planned anti-Trump protests until the suspect or suspects in the shooting are apprehended, fearing the demonstrations could be targeted.
Authorities shared an image on social media showing flyers for the 'NO KINGS' rallies planned to coincide with Donald Trump's birthday parade, which they said they found in a vehicle believed to be linked to the shootings.
Authorities believe the two incidents are connected and involve a suspect posing as law enforcement.
Walz addressed the situation on social media, condemning the 'targeted attacks,' and adding that he is activating the State Emergency Operations Center as police launch an urgent manhunt.
'I've been briefed this morning on an ongoing situation involving targeted shootings in Champlin and Brooklyn Park,' Walz wrote on X.
'I've activated the State Emergency Operations Center. Local law enforcement in Champlin and Brooklyn Park have the full resources of the State of Minnesota behind them.'
Police described the suspect as a white male with brown hair, wearing black body armor over a blue shirt and blue pants.
Brooklyn Park Police issued a shelter-in-place order around 5.30am, later expanding it to a three-mile radius around the Edinburgh Golf Course.
Another emergency alert was issued around 7am, advising residents to only open their doors if two officers are present and to call 911 to verify any officer's identity.
'Police are looking for a suspect in multiple targeted shootings who is armed and dangerous,' the alert stated. 'Suspect is white male, brown hair, wearing black body armor over a blue shirt and blue pants and may misrepresent himself as law enforcement.'
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office confirmed that an investigation is underway and Brooklyn Park is the lead agency.
Authorities are yet to confirm whether the lawmakers were the intended targets or if the attacks were politically motivated.
Meanwhile, other Minnesota state officials have taken to social media to share their reactions and updates about the ongoing incident.
'I'm just learning of the events that took place last night due to getting a safety alert for elected officials. I never thought we'd be here,' Mounds View Mayor, Zach Lindstrom wrote on X.
'I cannot emphasize enough that this is not ok. Any type of violence against elected officials is not ok. Any type of violence against other people is not ok.'
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar wrote on X: 'This is a stunning act of violence. I'm thankful for all the law enforcement who are responding in real time. My prayers are with the Hortman and Hoffman families. Both legislators are close friends and devoted to their families and public service.'
Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, now the head of national gun violence prevention organization GIFFORDS, said in a statement on Saturday that she is 'horrified and heartbroken by last night's attack on two patriotic public servants.'
'My family and I know the horror of a targeted shooting all too well. An attack against lawmakers is an attack on American democracy itself. Leaders must speak out and condemn the fomenting violent extremism that threatens everything this country stands for,' Giffords, who was one of 13 people wounded in an Arizona supermarket parking lot in 2011, added.
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31 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Manhunt continues for suspect in shootings of Minnesota lawmakers
The hunt for the man suspected of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses while impersonating a police officer, killing one legislator and her husband, continued on Sunday more than 24 hours after the killings. Vance Boelter, 57, now on the FBI's most wanted list, is believed to have left the Minneapolis region after allegedly gunning down Democratic state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, at their home, according to CNN. Boelter is also suspected of shooting Democratic state senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their residence, gravely injuring them. Authorities have disseminated photos of Boelter to border patrol agents in case he tries fleeing to Canada, CNN said. At aabout 3.30am local time, police responded to a shooting at Hortman's house to find Boelter leaving the property dressed as a police officer. They said he exchanged shots with them before escaping on foot. Police said Boelter's uniform might appear authentic to most people. Boelter also drove a vehicle that appeared identical to an SUV police squad car, said Mark Bruley, a local police chief. 'It was equipped with lights, emergency lights, that looked exactly like a police vehicle, and yes, they were wearing a vest with Taser, other equipment, a badge very similar to mine, that, no question, if they were in this room, you would assume that they are a police officer,' Bruley said. Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, said the murders appear 'to be a politically motivated assassination'. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to Boelter's apprehension and conviction. He was added to the FBI's most wanted list on Saturday. Before the attacks he reportedly contacted two friends by text message, which they read aloud to the Minnesota Star Tribune: 'I made some choices, and you guys don't know anything about this, but I'm going to be gone for a while. May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn't gone this way.' He added: 'I don't want to say anything more and implicate you in any way because you guys don't know anything about this. But I love you guys and I'm sorry for all the trouble this has caused.' Authorities reportedly said that Boelter left a list of potential targets at the shooting scene. Multiple outlets have reported that it included pro-choice lawmakers, as well as reproductive health clinics.
Reuters
33 minutes ago
- Reuters
Gunman who shot two Minnesota lawmakers still at large as manhunt continues
MINNEAPOLIS, June 15 (Reuters) - A massive manhunt entered a second day on Sunday in Minnesota for the gunman who killed a Democratic state lawmaker while posing as a police officer, a crime that Governor Tim Walz characterized as a "politically motivated assassination." The suspect, whom police identified as Vance Luther Boelter, 57, fled on foot when officers confronted him at the Brooklyn Park home of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were both killed. The gunman earlier had shot and wounded another Democratic lawmaker, state Senator John Hoffman, and his wife Yvette at their home a few miles away, authorities said. Minnesota U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat, said on Sunday morning that authorities believe the suspect is still in the Midwest, adding that an alert had been put out in neighboring South Dakota. "Clearly, this is politically motivated," she said, noting that the state's entire congressional delegation - Republicans and Democrats - issued a shared statement condemning the shootings. The suspect left behind a vehicle outside Hortman's house in suburban Minneapolis that resembled a police SUV, including flashing lights, and contained a "manifesto" and a target list of other politicians and institutions, officials said. Authorities had not publicly identified a specific motive as of Saturday evening. Boelter has links to evangelical ministries and claimed to be a security expert with experience in the Gaza Strip and Africa, according to online postings and public records reviewed by Reuters. "There clearly was some through line with abortion, because of the groups that were on the list and other things that I've heard were in this manifesto. So that was one of his motivations," Klobuchar said. Boelter had been appointed in 2016 by Walz' predecessor to a state advisory board, where he served alongside Hoffman, according to state records. Authorities said they were not certain yet whether the two had any meaningful interactions. "There's certainly some overlap with some public meetings, I will say, with Senator Hoffman and the individual," Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans told reporters on Saturday. "But we don't know the nature of the relationship or if they actually knew each other." ABC News, citing law enforcement officials, reported the list of targets featured dozens of Minnesota Democrats, including Walz, who was also the Democratic vice presidential candidate last year. The killing was the latest in a series of high-profile episodes of political violence, including the attack on former Democratic U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband in 2022, the attempted assassination of Donald Trump during last year's presidential campaign and an arson attack at Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's house in April. Republican and Democratic politicians across the country reacted with shock and horror and issued calls to tone down increasingly heated political rhetoric. Klobuchar said she had seen both Hortman and Hoffman at a political dinner on Friday, just hours before they were shot. "We started out together in politics, moms with young kids, and somehow she was able to balance getting to know every door, knock on every house in her district, while raising two children - Girl Scout leader, she taught Sunday school," she said of Hortman, 55. Klobuchar said both Hoffmans were "hanging in there" after undergoing surgery for multiple gunshot wounds. The attacks started around 2 a.m. (0700 GMT) on Saturday, when authorities said the gunman shot the Hoffmans in their home in Champlin before driving several miles to Hortman's home in Brooklyn Park. Police went to the Hortman house proactively at the request of a sergeant who responded to the Hoffman attack and was concerned other politicians might be at risk. The gunman immediately fired upon the two officers when they arrived, and when they returned fire, he ran. The FBI released photos, opens new tab of the suspect wearing a rubber mask and a police-like uniform. David Carlson, 59, told Reuters he has shared a house in Minneapolis with Boelter for more than a year and last saw him on Friday night. He said he received a disturbing text from Boelter at about 6 a.m. on Saturday. "He said that he might be dead soon," said Carlson, who called police. Police said they found flyers with "No Kings" printed on them in the gunman's car in reference to the thousands of nationwide "No Kings" protests on Saturday against the Trump administration, but that there were no known direct links between him and the movement. "Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America," Trump said in a statement. Trump has faced criticism from some opponents for using inflammatory rhetoric at times when talking about his political rivals. In one of his first moves in office earlier this year, Trump pardoned nearly everyone criminally charged with participating in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Minnesota gunman Vance Boelter's wife pulled over as cops make terrifying discovery inside vehicle
The wife of the suspect accused of killing a Minnesota politician and attempting to assassinate another was found with a trove of suspicious items in her car. Vance Boelter's wife Jenny was stopped by authorities at a convenience store while driving a car with three other relatives inside near Onamia at 10am on Saturday. She was found with a weapon, ammunition, cash and passports about 75 miles from where the shootings took place in Brooklyn Park and Champlin, Minnesota, eight hours earlier. Vance Boelter, 57, remains on the run after he allegedly shot State Representative Melissa Hortman and Democrat State Senator John Hoffman in a chilling assassination spree, about eight miles apart, in the early hours of Saturday morning. Hortman and her husband Mark were killed at their home in Champlin, while Hoffman and his wife Yvette suffered serious injuries at their home in Brooklyn Park. Over a dozen officers swarmed Jenny Boelter's car during the traffic stop and they were at the scene for two to three hours, sources told KSTP. Jenny was detained for questioning after officers found the items inside the vehicle. No one was arrested, law enforcement officials said. Whether Boelter's vehicle was stopped randomly or whether it was being tracked by police is still unclear. Vance and Jenny Boelter both previously worked under Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, according to Legistorm. The Boelters lived with each other on a rural property in Sibley County, near the small town of Green Isle. Vance also lived part-time at a rental on Fremont Avenue in north Minneapolis with two roommates, according to the Wall Street Journal. What we know John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were both shot at their home around 2am Saturday in Champlin. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were then fatally shot at their home in Brooklyn Park around 3am. Police encountered the gunman fleeing Hortman's home around 3.35am and exchanged gunfire with him. Chilling photos that emerged Saturday afternoon showed the suspect donning an unsettling costume mask covering his entire head. Officers then let the suspect slip through the cracks as he escaped the scene on foot, according to authorities. Shortly after the unspeakable slayings, police said Vance, a former appointee of Governor Walz, was being sought by authorities. As of Sunday morning, he remains on the run. The horrific incident took place as several 'No Kings' protests were being held across the country to protest against President Donald Trump. Who got shot Melissa Hortman was one of the most powerful and influential Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota politics. Representing a suburban district north of Minneapolis, she held her House seat for two decades after winning her first race in 2004 - and was re-elected 11 times. She served as Speaker of the Minnesota House from 2019 through early 2025, steering the chamber through major legislative victories on reproductive rights, voting protections, paid family leave, and early childhood education. After the 2024 election, in which Democrats and Republicans split the chamber 67-67, Hortman was named Speaker Emeritus and Party Leader as part of a rare bipartisan power-sharing agreement. Hortman was widely known for her policy expertise and progressive advocacy, particularly on issues of democracy and bodily autonomy. 'The most rewarding piece of legislation we passed - for me - is paid family and medical leave,' she said at the close of the 2024 session. She also pushed for voter protections, including pre-registration for 16- and 17-year-olds and tougher penalties for election interference. Born and raised in Fridley, Hortman earned her bachelor's degrees in philosophy and political science from Boston University, a J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School, and a master's in public administration from Harvard's Kennedy School. Before launching her legal career, Hortman interned for former Vice President Al Gore and worked for Senator John Kerry. She later served as an assistant attorney in Hennepin County. Despite her progressive platform, she often emphasized unity across geographic lines: 'I have no desire for us to be a predominately suburban- and city-based party,' she once said. 'I'm committed to... representing agricultural regions and the Iron Range, in addition to the cities and suburbs.' Her husband of 25 years, Mark, 55, was a practicing attorney and father of two. A devoted family man, Mark supported his wife's decades-long political career while remaining active in the Brooklyn Park community, where the couple had lived for more than two decades. He ran a local law practice focused on civil and family matters, according to public records, and was known among friends and colleagues as steady, thoughtful, and deeply private. Roughly 90 minutes before the Hortmans were killed, state Senator Hoffman and his wife Yvette were shot multiple times at their home in Champlin, about eight miles away. Both remain in critical condition following emergency surgeries, Governor Walz said. Hoffman, 59, has represented District 34 since 2012. Before joining the legislature, he served on the Anoka-Hennepin School Board, the largest in the state. He also runs Hoffman Strategic Advisors, a public affairs consulting firm, and has long been involved in disability rights advocacy. He and Yvette, a community volunteer, share one adult daughter named Hope. Who is the suspected killer Vance Boelter has armed security experience and a history of public service. He has armed security experience in the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, and North America through the Praetorian Guard Security Services, his biography on the website said. 'He brings a great security aspect forged by both many on the ground experiences combined with training by both private security firms and by people in the US Military,' it read. 'Vance Boelter has focused all this experience to make sure Praetorian Guard Security Services covers the needs you have to keep your family and property safe.' Boelter has also lived a life of public service before Saturday's tragedies, and he even served on the Governor's Workforce Development Board, which works closely with Walz to give advice on the state's workforce. He served on the board from June 2016 to June 2018 as a private sector representative and from December 2019 to January 2023 as a board member. He was appointed under Governor Walz both times. Boelter was also the CEO of Red Lion Group, which was based in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Red Lion Group has since deleted its website and LinkedIn pages, but Boelter's LinkedIn said he started at the company in December 2021. He announced two years ago that he was in the country with his company, working on 'private business projects.' He updated his LinkedIn a month ago to say he had returned to the US and was looking for work in the food industry on the corporate side. He had previously worked at 7-Eleven and Geencore as a general manager, a system manager at Del Monte Foods, and an operational leader at Johnsonville Sausage, according to his LinkedIn. His LinkedIn also revealed his deep connections to politics, as he asked his followers to vote ahead of the 2020 election. Boelter has also worked as a pastor as he was seen in a newly unearthed video dancing in a church service in Africa. The clip, filmed in February 2023, showed him delivering a passionate testimony about how he met Jesus at the age of 17. 'I met the Lord when I was 17 years old and I gave my life to Jesus Christ,' he says in the clip. He went on to describe naming his five children - who he shares with Jenny - after Christian virtues, Grace, Faith, Hope, Joy, and David, in what he calls a testament to God's blessings on his life. What were his motivations Although Boelter's exact motivations remain unclear at this time, FBI investigators believe the shootings were politically motivated and are offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to his whereabouts. His best friend and roommate David Carlson told local news outlet KARE11 he is an avid Trump supporter and voted for the Republican candidate. He also described the suspect as a Christian who opposes abortion. The night before the deadly shots were fired, Boelter texted his roommates he was 'going to be gone for a while.' Carlson, who shared a North Minneapolis home with Boelter, tearfully read aloud text messages from the accused assassin. 'David and Ron, I love you guys,' the eerie note began. 'I made some choices, and you guys don't know anything about this, but I'm going to be gone for a while.' He also said he 'may be dead shortly' and did not wish to involve Carlson or his other roommate Ron Ramsey. 'I don't know why he did what he did,' Carlson told KARE 11. 'It's just it's not Vance. ... He had lots of friends, trust me, and I wish I could have been there to stop him.' The FBI believes Boelter is attempting 'to potentially flee' the Twin Cities - Minneapolis and St. Paul, The Washington Post reported.
