Suspect in Minnesota lawmaker shootings reportedly attended Milwaukee's Cardinal Stritch
The suspect in the shooting of two Minnesota lawmakers appears to be a graduate of Cardinal Stritch University, a private Milwaukee university that shuttered in 2023.
Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed, and State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were wounded in a shooting in the Minneapolis suburbs the morning of June 14. Both lawmakers are members of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, and the state's governor, Tim Walz, has called the attacks "targeted political violence."
Authorities said the suspect impersonated a police officer to enter the lawmakers' homes in Brooklyn Park and Champlin, two neighboring suburban cities outside Minneapolis. After the shootings, the suspect exchanged gunfire with police and fled on foot.
Vance Boelter, 57, is the suspect authorities are searching for, according to the Associated Press, CNN and NBC News.
On his LinkedIn profile, Boelter is listed as obtaining a masters of science in management and a doctorate in leadership for the advancement of learning and service from Cardinal Stritch University. He reportedly earned his undergraduate degree from Minnesota's St. Cloud University.
In the hours after the shooting, Wisconsin politicians expressed grief and shock.
"We are praying for the Minnesota lawmakers and their families affected by this senseless political violence and all those who are working to respond to this horrific situation," Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers wrote in an X post.
In a Saturday news release, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said, "Political violence anywhere is a threat to everyone."
"We cannot allow this extremism to go unchecked. Justice must be served immediately," Crowley added. "We need to come together and denounce horrific acts of violence like this before they continue to take more innocent lives and harm our communities."
This story is developing and will update through the day.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Suspected Minnesota shooter attended Milwaukee's Cardinal Stritch
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