Minnesota Shooting Investigators Seek Public's Help After Attacks on Minnesota Lawmakers
Law enforcement officials said they were searching for Vance Boelter, 57, in connection with the assassination of one Democratic state legislator in Minnesota and the attempted assassination of another on Saturday.State, local and federal police have flooded the Minneapolis suburbs searching for Mr. Boelter, and for hours have asked residents near one of the crime scenes to shelter in place. Officials said a gunman impersonating a police officer killed Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, on Saturday morning and wounded Senator John A. Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in separate attacks at the lawmakers' homes. : Reuters News18 Mobile App - https://onelink.to/desc-youtube
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First Post
an hour ago
- First Post
Who is Vance Luther Boelter, shooting suspect who killed Minnesota lawmaker, injured another?
Dressed as a police officer, 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter shot and killed former state House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, at their Minnesota home. State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also injured after being shot at. Notably, in 2019, Boelter was appointed by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to a four-year term on the Governor's Workforce Development Board read more In 2019, Boelter was appointed by Tim Walz to a four-year term on the Governor's Workforce Development Board. FBI A massive search is on for 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter, who is accused of killing a senior Democratic assemblywoman from Minnesota and her husband, and shooting State Senator John Hoffman and his wife. Officials said Boelter dressed as a police officer and shot former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, at their home in Brooklyn Park early on Saturday. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has called it 'a politically motivated assassination.' John Hoffman, who is also a Democrat, and his wife Yvette were injured at their home in Champlin, around nine miles (roughly 15 kilometres) away. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But who is Vance Luther Boelter? How did the incident take place? Let's answer these questions for you. Who is Vance Boelter? Boelter has worked in several fields, including security, international business, and workforce development. As per Minnesota Africans United (MAU), he holds a doctorate in Leadership for the Advancement of Learning and Service from Cardinal Stritch University. He has worked with well-known companies like Nestle, Del Monte, and Marathon Speedway. Corporate records accessed by Associated Press show that Boelter's wife set up a company called Praetorian Guard Security Services LLC. The address used is the same as the couple's Green Isle residence. The FBI offers a reward of up to $50,000 for info leading to the arrest and conviction of Vance L. Boelter, suspected of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses at their residences on June 14, 2025: — FBI Most Wanted (@FBIMostWanted) June 14, 2025 The company website names Boelter's wife as the president and CEO, while he is listed as the director of security patrols. The site promotes armed security for events and properties. It also shows an SUV painted in black and silver, similar to a police vehicle, with a light bar on top and 'Praetorian' marked on the doors. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In 2019, the 57-year-old was appointed by Tim Walz to a four-year term on the Governor's Workforce Development Board. He earlier served on the same council in 2016, when Mark Dayton was governor. According to CNN, Boelter registered as a Republican in the early 2000s. Police said they found fliers in Boelter's car with the words 'No Kings,' a reference to protests held on Saturday against the Trump Administration. They also found a 'manifesto' and a list of names of other politicians. Notably, officers had briefly surrounded Boelter at Melissa Hortman's home before he got away. Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said Boelter first shot Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. About 90 minutes later, Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed while officers were investigating the earlier shooting. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has called it 'a politically motivated assassination'. Reuters Evans said Boelter is considered armed and dangerous and is likely still in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. He added that it was too early to say what the motive might be. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Reuters reported that Boelter had ties to evangelical ministries and claimed to have security expertise in the Gaza Strip and parts of Africa, according to online posts and public records. 'I might be dead soon': Boelter texted friend Police said the suspect was seen on Saturday wearing a light-coloured cowboy hat, a dark long-sleeved collared shirt or coat, and carrying a dark bag. The FBI has announced a reward of up to $50,000 for any information that leads to his arrest. David Carlson, 59, told Reuters that he had been sharing a house in Minneapolis with Boelter for just over a year. He last saw him on Friday night. Around 6 a.m. on Saturday, Carlson received a message from Boelter. Bullet holes mark the front door of Minnesota state Senator John Hoffman. Reuters 'He said that he might be dead soon,' Carlson said, who then contacted the police. Carlson, who has known Boelter since the fourth grade, said Boelter had been working for an eye donation centre and stayed at the house due to its proximity to his workplace. He said he now feels betrayed and heartbroken for the victims, adding, 'His family has got to suffer through this.' Minnesota shooting: What happened? The attacker posed as a police officer and shot Minnesota assemblywoman Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. He also opened fire at Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, injuring them both. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Walz, who was Kamala Harris' running mate during last year's presidential election, said the suspect went to the Hortmans' home after attacking the Hoffmans at their house in Champlin, a nearby town. Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman. Minnesota House of Representatives and Minnesota Senate/Reuters After firing at police at the Hortman residence, the suspect ran from the scene on foot. The Hoffmans were taken for surgery. Walz said he was 'cautiously optimistic' about their recovery. Donald Trump said he had been informed of the 'terrible shooting that took place in Minnesota, which appears to be a targeted attack against State Lawmakers.' 'Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!' he said in a statement. The FBI has released photos of Boelter dressed in a rubber mask and a uniform resembling that of a police officer. With inputs from agencies
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
'Might be dead soon': Minnesota killer's last text to friend; police probe shooter's motive
(AP photo) Police are searching for 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter, the main suspect in a deadly shooting that killed Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, and injured State Senator John Hoffman and his wife. The shooting has shocked the community, and a manhunt is now under way. According to police, Boelter was last seen Saturday wearing a light-coloured cowboy hat, a dark long-sleeved shirt or coat, and carrying a dark bag. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for help leading to his arrest. 'Might be dead soon': Boelter's last text to friend Carlson David Carlson, 59, who shared a house with Boelter in Minneapolis, said he last saw him Friday night. Then early Saturday morning, he got a troubling text from Boelter. "He said that he might be dead soon," Carlson told Reuters. He then called the police. Carlson, who has known Boelter since fourth grade, said Boelter worked at an eye donation center and stayed at the house because it was near his job. "His family has got to suffer through this," Carlson added, saying he feels betrayed by Boelter and heartbroken for the victims. Links to ministries and security work Boelter had a complex background. State records show he was appointed in 2016 to the Governor's Workforce Development Board, which helps advise the governor on Minnesota's workforce system. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like She Found THIS Chat on Her Husband's Phone and Vanished Overnight medalmerit Learn More Undo He also claimed to be a Christian minister and security expert with experience in places like the Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe. He and his wife ran a security business called Praetorian Guard Security Services LLC, which offered armed guard services. He also said he led an organization called the Red Lion Group in the Democratic Republic of Congo. These claims, however, have not yet been confirmed. Boelter was also linked to a Christian nonprofit ministry called Revoformation. He said he became a minister in 1993 and grew up in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. On the Revoformation website, Boelter claimed he travelled to dangerous areas in Gaza and the West Bank to talk to militants about peace and religion. "He sought out militant Islamists in order to share the gospel and tell them that violence wasn't the answer," the biography on the website said. Boelter and politics Boelter didn't list a political party preference. On LinkedIn six years ago, he encouraged Americans to vote and respect the process. "If you believe in prayer, please keep the United States in your prayers," he wrote. Carlson said Boelter voted for Donald Trump and was a Christian who didn't like abortion. But he also said, "He wasn't really angry about politics." Authorities are still trying to find out if Boelter personally knew the lawmakers. "We are still exploring that," said Drew Evans, head of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. "There's certainly some overlap with some public meetings, I will say, with Senator Hoffman and the individual. But we don't know the nature of the relationship or if they actually knew each other." 'Manifesto' found in car After the suspect shot at police on Saturday, he ran off and left behind a vehicle. Inside, officers found a "manifesto" and a list of other lawmakers and officials. Investigators are still reading through the writings to understand why Boelter may have done this. "It would be premature for me at this point to really say exactly what the motivation might be from these writings," Evans said. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz believes the attack was not random. "It appears to be a politically motivated assassination," he said.
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Minnesota Shootings Shake Capitol Hill, Spark Security Fears
The middle-of-the-night killing in Minnesota of a top Democratic state lawmaker and the shooting of a colleague—allegedly by a suspect posing as a police officer who had a list of other elected officials—jolted Capitol Hill, eight years to the day after Republican lawmakers were targeted by a lone gunman at a congressional baseball practice. Republican House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar and the rest of Minnesota's congressional delegation released a joint statement saying they 'speak with one voice to express our outrage, grief, and condemnation of this horrible attack on public servants.' Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R., S.D.), House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) and other lawmakers of both parties issued statements saying there is no place for violence in politics. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) said Saturday that U.S. Capitol Police had agreed to increase security for Minnesota Sens. Tina Smith and Klobuchar, both Democrats, at his request in light of the shooting. Schumer also asked the Senate sergeant at arms, the chamber's top cop, and Thune to hold a full briefing on member security once lawmakers return. Smith's name appeared in the alleged shooter's documents, according to her spokesman. Rep. Kelly Morrison (D., Minn.), who joined Congress in January after serving in the state legislature, also appeared on the shooter's list, her spokeswoman said. Klobuchar's office didn't respond to a request for comment. House Republicans held an emergency call to talk about safety concerns, a person familiar with the call said. The shooting came the same day as nationwide 'No Kings' protests against Trump. The suspect in the Minnesota shooting had handmade 'No Kings' signs in his car, a police photo showed. In Texas, state legislators were warned about threats to their safety at protests at the state Capitol in Austin. Lawmakers' bipartisan push Saturday to lower the political temperature came just days after political tensions on Capitol Hill reached a boiling point. On Thursday afternoon, video of Sen. Alex Padilla (D., Calif.) tussling with federal agents at a press conference with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in Los Angeles angered Democrats back in Washington. Johnson then condemned Padilla's actions in remarks to reporters, drawing heckling from other lawmakers who passed him as spoke before TV cameras. 'You have to turn the temperature down in this country and not escalate it,' Johnson said in his remarks. He then accused Democrats of siding with lawbreakers on immigration. During the final votes before lawmakers broke for home, Rep. John Mannion (D., N.Y.) angrily screamed at centrist Rep. Mike Lawler (R., N.Y.) on the House floor, stating he should 'get some f—ing balls' and challenge Republican colleagues. There have been a series of violent political incidents in recent years. Democrats have pointed the finger at President Trump's abrasive style of politics, saying it could spur extremists to target politicians. Republicans have countered that a number of the violent incidents of the past decade involved left-wing assailants targeting Republicans. Trump barely escaped an assassination attempt last year in Butler, Pa., by a shooter whose motivation remains unknown. In 2017, Rep. Steve Scalise (R., La.), a member of House GOP leadership, nearly died after being shot by a gunman who opened fire during a GOP baseball practice in Alexandria, Va. The gunman belonged to several anti-Republican groups and had volunteered for Sen. Bernie Sanders's presidential campaign. In 2022, the husband of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) was severely beaten with a hammer by an intruder at the couple's San Francisco home. The man told police he had planned to kidnap Pelosi, who wasn't home at the time, and 'break her kneecaps' over what he called Democratic lies. Also that year, an armed man who said he was upset about a pending Supreme Court abortion ruling was arrested near Justice Brett Kavanaugh's home and charged with attempted murder. It came just days after a gunman carrying a list of elected officials—including Michigan's Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.)—shot and killed a retired Wisconsin judge. Write to Katy Stech Ferek at and Tim Hanrahan at Get 360° coverage—from daily headlines to 100 year archives.
