‘The stuff of nightmares': Man accused of shooting US politicians allegedly had hitlist of 45 names

The Age

17-06-2025

Authorities declined to name the two other elected officials, but Democratic Senator Ann Rest said she was told the suspect had parked near her home in New Hope early Saturday. She said in a statement on Monday that the 'quick action' of law enforcement officers saved her life.
Thompson said Boelter had allegedly meticulously planned the attacks, carrying out surveillance missions, taking notes on the homes and people he targeted and disguising himself as a police officer just before the shootings.
'It is no exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmares,' he said.
Thompson said Boelter had many notebooks full of plans that appeared to be months in the making.
But authorities have not found any writings that would 'clearly identify what motivated him,' Thompson said. Though the targets were Democrats and elected officials, Thompson said it was too soon to speculate on any sort of political ideology.
The search for Boelter was the 'largest manhunt in the state's history', Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said. It began when officers went to check on Hortman's home and allegedly saw her husband gunned down before the shooter fled.
Authorities on Sunday located a vehicle Boelter was using abandoned in rural Sibley County, where he lived, and a police officer reported that he believed he saw Boelter running into the woods, Bruley said. Police set up a large perimeter and called in 20 different tactical teams, divvying up the area and searching for him.
During the search, police said they received information confirming someone was in the woods and searched for hours, using a helicopter and officers on foot, until they found Boelter.
He was armed but surrendered with no shots fired.
'The suspect crawled to law enforcement teams and was placed under arrest,' Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Geiger of the Minnesota State Patrol told the briefing.
A targeted attack
Drew Evans, superintendent of the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said the violence probably would have continued had officers not checked on Hortman's home.
The Hoffmans were allegedly attacked first at their home in Champin. The criminal complaint indicated their adult daughter called 911 just after 2am to say a masked person had come to the door and shot her parents.
After police in nearby Brooklyn Park learned that a politician had been shot, they sent patrol officers to check on the Hortmans.
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They arrived just in time to see Boelter shoot Mark Hortman through the open door of the home, the complaint alleges. It alleges officers exchanged gunfire with Boelter, who fled inside the home before escaping the scene. Melissa Hortman was found dead inside.
Authorities said Boelter posed as a police officer, even allegedly altering a vehicle to make it look like a police car.
No details on motive
They did not give a motive as they announced Boelter's arrest.
When police searched Boelter's SUV after the shootings, they discovered three AK-47 assault rifles, a 9mm handgun, and a list of public officials, including their addresses, according to the criminal complaint.
The list and other writings included the names of prominent state and federal politicians and community leaders, along with abortion rights advocates and information about healthcare facilities, according to two law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss details of the ongoing investigation.
A Minnesota official said politicians who had been outspoken in favour of abortion rights were on the list.
Boelter is a former political appointee who served on the same state workforce development board as Hoffman, records show, though it was not clear if or how well they knew each other. He 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.
About 6am on Saturday, he texted friends to apologise for his actions, though he didn't say what he had done.
'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 wrote in messages viewed by Associated Press.
An escalation in political violence
The shootings come as political leaders nationwide have been attacked, harassed and intimidated amid deep political divisions. Recent incidents range from a 2022 attack on former Democratic US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband at their home, to an assassination bid on Donald Trump last year, and an arson attack at Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's house in April.
'This cannot be the norm. It cannot be the way that we deal with our political differences,' Walz said.
US Senator Amy Klobuchar shared a statement from Yvette Hoffman expressing appreciation for the outpouring of public support.
'John is enduring many surgeries right now and is closer every hour to being out of the woods,' Yvette Hoffman said in a text that Klobuchar posted on social media before the senator emerged from his final surgery. 'He took nine bullet hits. I took eight, and we are both incredibly lucky to be alive. We are gutted and devastated by the loss of Melissa and Mark.'