Manhunt underway for 57-year-old Vance Boelter: Minnesota lawmaker, husband killed; second legislator wounded in politically motivated shootings
A 57-year-old man is being sought by authorities in connection with two politically motivated shootings that targeted Minnesota lawmakers early Saturday, killing former state House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and injuring Sen.
John Hoffman
and his wife, officials told the Associated Press.
Law enforcement officials identified the suspect as Vance Boelter, according to two individuals familiar with the investigation. The suspect is accused of posing as a police officer and carrying out coordinated attacks at two homes — one in Brooklyn Park, where Hortman and her spouse were fatally shot, and another in Champlin, where Hoffman and his wife were wounded.
Police say the attacker was dressed in a fake police uniform and drove a vehicle designed to resemble a squad car. 'The suspect exploited the trust of our uniforms,' said Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson. 'That betrayal is deeply disturbing.'
A fake police SUV found at one scene contained a manifesto that named several lawmakers and officials, including the two victims. 'We immediately made alerts to the state,' Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said, adding that officers were now providing additional security to other potential targets.
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Governor Tim Walz called the shootings 'targeted political violence,' adding: 'We must all… stand against all forms of political violence. Those responsible for this will be held accountable.'
According to Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, a shelter-in-place order was issued after the attacks. Authorities believe the suspect fled from Hortman's home following an exchange of gunfire with police.
Autopsies confirmed that Hortman and her husband died from gunshot wounds. The Hoffmans, though critically injured, were reported to be receiving treatment.
In response to the incident, Minnesota's State Patrol urged people to avoid 'No Kings' protests planned across the state, citing precautionary concerns after similar flyers were found in the suspect's vehicle. Organisers have since cancelled all protests.
Hundreds of heavily armed police and sheriff's deputies, including SWAT units, were deployed throughout the Minneapolis suburbs, setting up checkpoints and searching for the gunman.
President Donald Trump said the FBI would assist in the investigation, promising full prosecution of those involved. 'Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America,' he said.
Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, a Republican, called the killings 'evil,' and asked residents to 'lift up in prayer the victims… and law enforcement personnel.'
Hortman was first elected in 2004 and served as House Speaker. Hoffman, in the Senate since 2012, previously served on the Anoka Hennepin School Board.
The shootings have raised alarm nationwide as political figures face increased threats. Gabrielle Giffords, a former congresswoman and shooting survivor, said: 'An attack against lawmakers is an attack on American democracy itself.'
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