Alleged gunman went to homes of two other intended targets, police say
The suspect, Vance Boelter, surrendered to police on Sunday after they found him in the woods near his home following a massive manhunt that began early on Saturday near Minneapolis.
He is accused of posing as a police officer and fatally shooting former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home early Saturday in the northern Minneapolis suburbs.
Authorities say he also shot senator John Hoffman, a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette. They were injured at their residence about nine miles away.
The 57-year-old Boelter was charged with federal murder and stalking offenses. He already faces state charges, including murder and attempted murder.
'Boelter planned his attack carefully' by researching his intended victims and their families and conducting surveillance of their homes and taking notes, Mr Thompson said.
Though the targets were Democrats and elected officials, Mr Thompson said it was too soon to speculate on any sort of political ideology that could explain his motives.
Law enforcement officers investigate the home of shooting suspect Vance Boelter in Green Isle, Minnesota (George Walker IV/AP)
Mr Thompson said it was too early to say if the Justice Department would seek the death penalty but noted that that was among the options available to the government based on the charges.
The counts charged in the criminal complaint could be amended by prosecutors as they pursue a grand jury indictment as a prerequisite for bringing the case to trial.
Authorities declined to name the two other elected officials whom Boelter allegedly stalked but who escaped harm. But it was clear the shootings were politically motivated, they said.
'This was a targeted attack against individuals who answered the call to public service,' said Alvin Winston, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Minneapolis field office.
The resulting search, he said, was the largest manhunt in the history of Minnesota.
Boelter's wife consented to a search of her phone by law enforcement, according to an FBI affidavit that cites from a text from Boelter to a family group chat: 'Dad went to war last night … I don't wanna say more because I don't wanna implicate anybody.'
Earlier, the search for Boelter was the 'largest manhunt in the state's history,' Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said.
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Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Reason 2 politicians had lucky escapes from gunman who killed and injured others
Another politician who was on Vance Boelter's hit list was on holiday, while the other was spared as the suspect left their home after police arrived early on Sunday The man accused of killing a Minnesota politician and wounding another also went to the homes of two other legislators on the night of the shootings, a federal prosecutor said on Monday. Acting US Attorney Joseph Thompson said during a press conference that the suspect, Vance Boelter, intended to inflict more carnage against those on his hitlist. The gunman had meticulously planned out the attacks, carrying out surveillance missions, taking notes on the homes and people he targeted and disguising himself as a police officer on the night of the attacks, Mr Thompson revealed. However, two other politicians had lucky escapes as one of them was on holiday, while the other was spared as the suspect left their home after police arrived early on Sunday. The federal prosecutor said: "It is no exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmare." On Sunday, Boelter surrendered to police after they found him in the woods near his home following a massive manhunt over nearly two days that began near Minneapolis. He is accused of posing as an officer and fatally shooting former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home early Saturday in the northern Minneapolis suburbs. Authorities say he also shot Sen. John Hoffman, a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, who lived just a few miles away. On Monday, authorities announced the 57-year-old suspect has been charged with federal murder and stalking offences. He already faces state charges, including murder and attempted murder. During the investigation, it emerged that Boelter had many notebooks full of plans and made efforts to find the addresses of his victims and their family members, Mr Thompson said. However, authorities have not found any writings that would "clearly identify what motivated him," he said. Though the targets were Democrats and elected officials, Mr Thompson said it was too soon to speculate on any sort of political ideology that could explain his motives. Authorities declined to name the two other elected officials whom Boelter allegedly stalked but who escaped harm, but it was clear the shootings were politically motivated. Alvin Winston, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Minneapolis field office, said: "This was a targeted attack against individuals who answered the call to public service." The resulting search, he said, was the largest search for a suspect in the history of the state. Boelter's wife consented to a search of her phone by law enforcement, according to an FBI affidavit that cites from a text from Boelter to a family group chat: "Dad went to war last night ... I don't wanna say more because I don't wanna implicate anybody." His wife got another text that said: "Words are not gonna explain how sorry I am for this situation ... there's gonna be some people coming to the house armed and trigger-happy and I don't want you guys around," the affidavit said. At one point, Boelter bought an electronic bike and a Buick sedan from someone he met at a bus stop in north Minneapolis, the federal affidavit said. Police found the sedan abandoned on a highway Sunday morning. In the car, law enforcement found a cowboy hat Boelter had been seen wearing in surveillance footage as well as a letter written to the FBI, authorities said. The letter said it was written by "Dr. Vance Luther Boulter" and said he was "the shooter at large in Minnesota involved in the 2 shootings." The car was found in rural Sibley County, where Boelter lived, and a police officer reported that he believed he saw Boelter running into the woods. Police called in 20 different tactical teams, divvying up the area to search. During the search, police said they confirmed someone was in the woods and searched for hours, using a helicopter and officers on foot, until they found Boelter. He gave himself up to police, crawling out to officers before he was handcuffed and taken into custody in a field, authorities said. Jail records show Boelter was booked into the Hennepin County Jail early on Monday. Drew Evans, superintendent of the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said the violence likely would have continued had Brooklyn Park officers not checked on Hortman's home, causing Boelter to flee. The Hoffmans were attacked first at their home in Champlin early on Saturday. A criminal complaint unsealed after Boelter's arrest indicated their adult daughter called 911 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' home. Brooklyn Park police officers arrived just in time to see Boelter shoot Mark Hortman through the open door of the home and exchanged gunfire with Boelter, who fled into the home before escaping, the complaint said. Melissa Hortman was found dead inside, according to the document. Authorities said Boelter posed as a police officer, even allegedly altering a vehicle to make it look like a police car. A Minnesota politician said that Hortman's dog had to be euthanised after being shot in the attack. "Her children had to put down him after learning their parents had been murdered, " Rep. Erin Koegel posted on the social media platform X. "Gilbert wasn't going to survive. Melissa loved that dog. She trained him as a service dog. He flunked out of school and she was so happy he failed so he could stay!" A list of about 70 names was found in writings recovered from the fake police vehicle at the crime scene, said two law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss details of the ongoing investigation. The writings and list of names included prominent state and federal politicians and community leaders, along with abortion rights advocates and information about health care facilities, according to the officials. A Minnesota official told the AP that politicians who had been outspoken in favour of abortion rights were on the list. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing. 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. Just hours after the shootings, Boelter 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 the AP.
NBC News
4 hours ago
- NBC News
'Stuff of nightmares': Prosecutor reveals chilling details of attacks on Minnesota lawmakers
The man suspected of fatally shooting a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband and wounding another and his wife had 'stalked his victims like prey' before opening fire at their homes, elaborately disguised as a law enforcement officer, prosecutors said Monday. Vance Boelter, 57, was allegedly wearing a 'hyper realistic' silicone face mask, a tactical vest and body armor when he arrived at the Champlin home of state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, early Saturday, according to Joseph Thompson, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota. Wielding a flashlight and a handgun, Boelter allegedly knocked on the Hoffmans' door around 2 a.m. and shouted, 'This is the police! Open the door!' His black SUV had emergency lights and a license plate that read 'police,' Thompson said. The couple answered the door together, the prosecutor said at a news conference. He said Boelter shined his flashlight in their faces, said there had been a shooting reported in the house and asked them if they had weapons. When Boelter lowered his flashlight, the couple shouted that he was not a police officer. Prosecutors said Boelter then announced 'this is a robbery' and tried to force himself into their home. Hoffman tried to push Boelter out of his home, but the suspect shot him and his wife repeatedly before fleeing to his next target's home, Thompson said. The Hoffmans' daughter called 911. The couple were severely injured and remained hospitalized. Meanwhile, Boelter continued on his alleged rampage, which he appeared to have plotted for 'quite some time,' though it's still unclear why, officials said. Authorities said there were more than 45 names of state and federal elected officials in multiple notebooks found in the suspect's SUV and home. 'Boelter planned his attack carefully,' Thompson said. 'He researched his victims and their families. He used the internet and other tools to find their addresses and names, the names of the family members. He conducted surveillance of their homes and took notes of the location of their homes.' After allegedly shooting the Hoffmans, Boelter went to the homes of at least three other Minnesota state politicians with the intent to kill them, Thompson said. The next two were not home, and prosecutors declined to identify them Monday. But Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, were at their Brooklyn Park home when Boelter arrived around 3:30 a.m., authorities said. By that time, two local police officers were dispatched to conduct wellness checks on the homes of local officials, including the Hortmans. The officers arrived at the Hortmans' home just as Boelter was standing in front of it, officials said. Boelter rushed into their home through the front door and repeatedly opened fire, killing the couple, Thompson said. The suspect fled out the back door, dropping his mask and body armor on the way, Thompson said. He called the alleged crimes 'the stuff of nightmares.' After the attacks, Boelter allegedly texted his family: 'Dad went to war last night… I don't wanna implicate anybody,' according to an affidavit. In a message to his wife, Boelter apologized and appeared to warn her about an incoming police presence, the affidavit said. 'Words are not gonna explain how sorry I am for the situation,' the text read. 'There's gonna be some people coming to the house armed and trigger-happy and I don't want you guys around.' After a two-day manhunt, which was the state's biggest, the suspect was found crawling in a field Sunday night, authorities said. He cooperated with law enforcement officers and 'gave up peacefully,' authorities said. Boelter faces multiple federal charges, including two counts of stalking and two counts of murder. The murder charges are punishable by life in prison or death, officials said. Thompson said it's too soon to determine whether prosecutors will pursue the death penalty. At his federal court hearing Monday afternoon, Boelter said he understood what he is being charged with. Boelter told a judge he makes $540 a week through his part-time job and could not afford a lawyer. A judge said he would appoint a federal defender and scheduled the next hearing for June 27.
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Minnesota ‘assassin' found with ‘hit-list' of 70 names & addresses including Squad member Ilhan Omar and Jeff Bezos' ex'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE man accused of fatally shooting a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband allegedly had a hit list with 70 names after being caught by police. Vance Boelter, 57, is accused of shooting and killing Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband at their home on Saturday, along with injuring Senator John Hoffman and his wife in another shooting. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 9 Vance Boelter, 57, has been charged with killing a Minnesota representative and her husband in a shooting Credit: AFP 9 Investigators found several weapons and a manifesto in a fake police vehicle that Boelter allegedly used in the shootings that also injured a senator and his wife Credit: Reuters 9 Listed in the manifesto as a possible target was MacKenzie Scott, the ex-wife of Jeff Bezos Credit: Getty 9 US Representative Ilhan Omar, a member of 'the squad,' was also listed Credit: Alamy 9 Melissa Hortman with her husband, Mark, were killed in the shooting Credit: Unpixs During the search for the suspect, investigators found a fake police vehicle that Boelter allegedly used to pose as a police officer to carry out the shootings. Inside the car, police found a cache of weapons, including at least three AK-47 assault rifles and a manifesto with the names and addresses of other public officials. There were about 70 names in the manifesto, some of which were abortion rights advocates, said law enforcement officials. Boelter was arrested near his home in Green Isle on Sunday night after a brief manhunt. He has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder, according to Hennepin County court records. LIST OF DEATH Named on the list were Senator Amy Klobuchar and "squad member" Rep. Ilhan Omar, reported The Minnesota Star Tribune. Others include Congresswoman Kelly Morrison, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Minnesota Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, and Jeff Bezos' ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott. Some doctors who worked for Planned Parenthood were on the list, as well as several abortion clinics, including one that is scheduled to open in Omaha, Nebraska. Former congressman Dean Phillips claimed in an X post that he was on the list as well, writing, "I extend heartfelt gratitude to Minnesota's law enforcement professionals," after Boelter's arrest. "Now, we must take steps to prevent political violence before it's too late." Vance Boelter's car found as cops continue to hunt for 'fake cop' suspect who 'shot dead Melissa Hortman' in Minnesota The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans confirmed that investigators found the manifesto in a press briefing, saying the documents "gives some indications" on a possible motive. "This is not a document that would be like a traditional manifesto that's a treatise on all kinds of ideology and writings, Evans said. He called it a notebook "with a lot of lawmakers and others ... as opposed to a succinct document." "I don't want the public to have the impression that there's this long manifesto that's providing all of this information and details and then associated with names," he added. "It's much more about names." NIGHT OF TERROR Boelter was named as a suspect on June 14 after shootings were reported at the homes of Hortman and Hoffman. Hortman and her husband, Mark, were pronounced dead at their Brooklyn Park home. Timeline of Minnesota's shooting Vance Boelter has been arrested for the targeted shootings of Minnesota lawmakers Rep. Melissa Hortman and Sen. John Hoffman. Below is a timeline of events: Saturday, June 14 2 am - Cops receive a phone call about a shooting at Hoffman's house. Cops call nearby officers to proactively check Hortman's home because it's close by in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. 3:35 am - Police arrive at Hortman's home and find a car that looks like a cop car in her driveway. Officers see the suspect, dressed as a cop and wearing a latex mask, leaving the Hortman's house. Cops exchange gunfire with the suspect, who runs back into the home and leaves out the back door on foot. 7:11 am — A shelter-in-place warning is issued for three miles around Brooklyn Park. 7:35 am - Minnesota Governor Tim Walz posts on social media that he's been briefed on the shootings. 9:30 am - Walz and cops give the first news conference on the shootings and confirm the Hormans' deaths. Minnesotans are asked not to attend rallies taking place across the state. 3 pm - Law enforcement officers identify Boelter as the suspect and release multiple pictures of him wearing a mask and dressed like a cop. 3:20 pm - Police lift shelter-in-place in Brooklyn Park. 4:45 pm - The FBI offers a $50,000 reward for information leading to Boelter's arrest and conviction. Sunday, June 15 10:50 am - Boelter's car is found near Minnesota Highway 25 and 301st Avenue in Sibley County. Residents in the area are asked to lock their doors and stay in place. 9:30 pm - Boelter is arrested in the woods near his home in Green Isle, Sibley County. The couple's dog, Gilbert, was severely injured in the attack and had to be euthanized. "Her children had to put him down after learning their parents had been murdered," former Minnesota House member Erin Koegel said on X of Hortman's children. "Gilbert wasn't going to survive. Hoffman and his wife Yvette had surgery after suffering multiple gunshot wounds at their residence in Champlin, about nine miles away from the Hortmans. Officials said they are "cautiously optimistic" that the pair will survive what Governor Tim Walz called an "unspeakable tragedy" and a "politically motivated assassination." The Hoffmans' nephew revealed that the couple had been shot 11 times during the horror attack. He shared in a Facebook post how his aunt Yvette had thrown herself on top of her daughter to protect her. Boelter is scheduled to appear in court on Monday for the charges against him and a federal warrant for "unlawful flight to avoid prosecution." His other charges will soon be upgraded as the state "intends to pursue first-degree murder charges against Boelter," said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty at a news conference. The Department of Justice is also deciding to throw federal charges against Boelter, which, if convicted, could result in the death penalty. 9 Investigators say Boelter wore this realistic mask while posing as a police officer during the shootings Credit: Reuters 9 Boelter was arrested on Sunday night and has been charged with the murders Credit: EPA 9 Sen. Amy Klobuchar was also listed in the manifesto, along with several abortion doctors Credit: AP
