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Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Childhood friend says Minnesota suspect had 'darkness inside of him'
Hours after the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers over the weekend, authorities asked David Carlson to identify his lifelong friend in a harrowing photograph. Carlson says he had known and trusted Vance Boelter from the time the two played together as children. But he barely recognized the 57-year-old in the surveillance image police showed him of Boelter wearing a flesh-colored mask as he carried out what authorities described as a political rampage. 'The guy with the mask, I don't know that guy,' Carlson said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press, recounting his decades-long friendship with a man he likened to a brother. Boelter's involvement in such an attack, he said, was as surprising to him as 'getting struck by lightning.' 'There was a darkness that was inside of him," Carlson said. "He must have kept it hidden." As authorities piece together Boelter's movements and motivations, Carlson and others are conducting their own inventory of their interactions with the one-time pastor, wondering whether they missed any red flags. Boelter is a married father of five but often stayed at Carlson's home in Minneapolis to shorten his commute to work. In hindsight, Carlson said, Boelter 'was a sick man' and needed help, even if those around him didn't realize it in time. Law enforcement has cautioned the motive could be more complex than pundits might prefer, even as Boelter's own disjointed writings suggest he was hell-bent on targeting Democrats. Boelter has been charged with federal murder and stalking, along with state counts, in the fatal shootings of former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. He is also accused of wounding Democratic Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. At the time of the shootings, Carlson said Boelter had been struggling to find work and was 'disappointed' he wasn't hearing back from people. In February, Boelter abruptly quit his job delivering bodies from assisted living facilities to a funeral home and returned for several weeks to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he had founded several companies focused on farming and fishing. 'I thought it was a mistake for him to quit his job,' Carlson said. 'I didn't think he was going to get anywhere with the Congo.' But the life change was in keeping with Boelter's impetuous 'mentality to always go to the extreme,' Carlson said, recalling a time in the 1990s when Boelter was captured by security forces after sneaking into Gaza to preach Christianity on a trip to Israel. 'That's how crazy Vance is,' Carlson said. 'He wasn't supposed to be there.' Years earlier, after becoming a Christian, Boelter 'burned all of his belongings,' Carlson said, including karate and martial arts weapons and anything else that distracted from his religion. Boelter graduated in 1990 from an interdenominational Bible college in Dallas, earning a diploma in practical theology in leadership. The Christ For The Nations Institute said in a statement it was 'aghast and horrified" to learn the suspect was among its alumni, saying 'this is not who we are.' The church Boelter attended outside Minneapolis has not responded to emails from AP but issued a similar statement condemning the shootings as 'the opposite of what Jesus taught his followers to do.' Boelter, who worked as a security contractor, offered a glimpse of his opposition to abortion in a 2023 sermon he gave in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, saying "they don't know abortion is wrong in many churches.' 'He wasn't a radical cultist," Carlson said. 'He was just a regular Christian and kind of outspoken.' Boelter was unrestrained when it came to his distaste for Democrats, Carlson said, but that rhetoric never seemed threatening. Carlson and another friend, Paul Schroeder, told AP they never heard Boelter talk about abortion or any of the officials who were targeted. The FBI said Boelter 'made lists containing the names and home addresses of many Minnesota public officials, mostly or all Democrats.' 'It wasn't like, 'We gotta stop them, man,'' Carlson said. 'But it chills me to think he was in his room writing that stuff in my house.' Boelter would go to a shooting range occasionally but was not fanatical about firearms, another friend, Paul Shroeder said. 'I thought he was just collecting them for self-defense," Carlson said. "It was 1,000 miles away from stalking people and killing them.' Carlson said he awoke Saturday to an alarming text message from Boelter, who warned he was 'going to be gone for a while,' and 'may be dead shortly.' Carlson initially thought his friend was suicidal and went to check his room. He said he was so concerned he called police, who 'at first didn't seem too interested" before quickly connecting the messages to the shootings. 'Why throw your whole life away? God, he's so stupid," Carlson said. "He had everything.' __ Associated Press writers Giovanna Dell'Orto in Minneapolis and Michael Biesecker in Washington contributed to this report.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Childhood friend says Minnesota suspect had ‘darkness inside of him'
Hours after the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers over the weekend, authorities asked David Carlson to identify his lifelong friend in a harrowing photograph. Carlson says he had known and trusted Vance Boelter from the time the two played together as children. But he barely recognized the 57-year-old in the surveillance image police showed him of Boelter wearing a flesh-colored mask as he carried out what authorities described as a political rampage. 'The guy with the mask, I don't know that guy,' Carlson said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press, recounting his decades-long friendship with a man he likened to a brother. Boelter's involvement in such an attack, he said, was as surprising to him as 'getting struck by lightning.' 'There was a darkness that was inside of him,' Carlson said. 'He must have kept it hidden.' As authorities piece together Boelter's movements and motivations, Carlson and others are conducting their own inventory of their interactions with the conservative evangelical pastor, wondering whether they missed any red flags. Boelter is a married father of five but often stayed at Carlson's home in Minneapolis to shorten his commute to work. In hindsight, Carlson said, Boelter 'was a sick man' and needed help, even if those around him didn't realize it in time. Law enforcement has cautioned the motive could be more complex than pundits might prefer, even as Boelter's own disjointed writings suggest he was hell-bent on targeting Democrats. Boelter has been charged with federal murder and stalking, along with state counts, in the fatal shootings of former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. He is also accused of wounding Democratic Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. At the time of the shootings, Carlson said Boelter had been struggling to find work and was 'disappointed' he wasn't hearing back from people. In February, Boelter abruptly quit his job delivering bodies from assisted living facilities to a funeral home and returned for several weeks to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he had founded several companies focused on farming and fishing. 'I thought it was a mistake for him to quit his job,' Carlson said. 'I didn't think he was going to get anywhere with the Congo.' But the life change was in keeping with Boelter's impetuous 'mentality to always go to the extreme,' Carlson said, recalling a time in the 1990s when Boelter was captured by security forces after sneaking into Gaza to preach Christianity on a trip to Israel. 'That's how crazy Vance is,' Carlson said. 'He wasn't supposed to be there.' Years earlier, after becoming a Christian, Boelter 'burned all of his belongings,' Carlson said, including karate and martial arts weapons and anything else that distracted from his religion. Boelter graduated in 1990 from an interdenominational Bible college in Dallas, earning a diploma in practical theology in leadership. The Christ For The Nations Institute said in a statement it was 'aghast and horrified' to learn the suspect was among its alumni, saying 'this is not who we are.' The church Boelter attended outside Minneapolis has not responded to emails from AP but issued a similar statement condemning the shootings as 'the opposite of what Jesus taught his followers to do.' Boelter, who worked as a security contractor, offered a glimpse of his opposition to abortion in a 2023 sermon he gave in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, saying 'they don't know abortion is wrong in many churches.' 'He wasn't a radical cultist,' Carlson said. 'He was just a regular Christian and kind of outspoken.' Boelter was unrestrained when it came to his distaste for Democrats, Carlson said, but that rhetoric never seemed threatening. Carlson and another friend, Paul Schroeder, told AP they never heard Boelter talk about abortion or any of the officials who were targeted. The FBI said Boelter 'made lists containing the names and home addresses of many Minnesota public officials, mostly or all Democrats.' 'It wasn't like, 'We gotta stop them, man,'' Carlson said. 'But it chills me to think he was in his room writing that stuff in my house.' Boelter would go to a shooting range occasionally but was not fanatical about firearms, another friend, Paul Shroeder said. 'I thought he was just collecting them for self-defense,' Carlson said. 'It was 1,000 miles away from stalking people and killing them.' Carlson said he awoke Saturday to an alarming text message from Boelter, who warned he was 'going to be gone for a while,' and 'may be dead shortly.' Carlson initially thought his friend was suicidal and went to check his room. He said he was so concerned he called police, who 'at first didn't seem too interested' before quickly connecting the messages to the shootings. 'Why throw your whole life away? God, he's so stupid,' Carlson said. 'He had everything.' __ Associated Press writers Giovanna Dell'Orto in Minneapolis and Michael Biesecker in Washington contributed to this report.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
What we know about Vance Boelter, the suspect in the Minnesota lawmaker shootings
The man suspected of fatally shooting a Democratic Minnesota state representative and her husband, and wounding another state legislator and his wife, was captured in a Green Isle field Sunday evening after a massive two-day manhunt. Authorities said Vance Boelter, 57, wore a "hyper realistic" silicone face mask, body armor and a tactical vest to impersonate a law enforcement officer when he carried out the violent rampage early Saturday. He planned "his attack carefully," acting U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota Joseph Thompson said, and used the internet to research his victims and their families. He conducted surveillance on their homes and took notes on the homes' locations, Thompson said at a news conference Monday. Boelter also allegedly purchased materials to make a fake "police" license plate for his SUV and equipped the vehicle with law enforcement-style lights before the shootings that killed Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, and wounded state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman. Thompson said it's clear Boelter had been "planning these attacks for quite some time." He faces both federal and state charges. In an online video, Boelter described himself as a married father of five from Green Isle, Minnesota. He said he works for two funeral homes and previously worked for three decades in the food industry. Boelter said in the video that he once traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo to partner with farmers and fishermen and help stimulate the country's food supply system. Boelter has a handful of traffic violations, including speeding and not using a seat belt, records show. According to a statement, he attended the Christ For The Nations Institute from 1998 to 1990, when he graduated with a diploma in practical theology in leadership and pastoral. Records show he purchased his Green Isle home for more than half a million dollars in 2023. During a federal court hearing Monday afternoon, Boelter said he now makes $540 a week through his part-time job and could not afford a lawyer. His federal defender declined to comment. Authorities located his wife and found two handguns, about $10,000 in cash and passports for her and her children in her vehicle, the affidavit says. After the shootings, he allegedly texted his family: "Dad went to war last night … I don't wanna say more because I don't wanna implicate anybody." His wife also received a text from him saying, "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 motive for the attacks remains unclear. Boelter took "deliberate steps to research his victims and prepare" for his alleged attacks, authorities said in the affidavit. He is accused of using the internet to find their home addresses and the names of their family members. The affidavit states that he also "made lists containing the names and home addresses of many Minnesota public officials, mostly or all Democrats. " Authorities said he found websites that sold hyper-realistic silicone masks and he allegedly purchased other materials from a store, including flashlights and resources that could be used to create the fake "police" license plate found on his SUV. He traveled to the homes of at least four public officials. "Political assassinations are rare. They strike at the very core of our democracy, but the details of Boelter's crimes are even worse," Thompson told reporters. "They are truly chilling. It is no exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmares. Belter stalked his victims like prey." Boelter allegedly arrived at the Champlin home of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, in an SUV equipped with law enforcement-style emergency lights, the affidavit states. Video footage from the home showed Boelter approach the front door "dressed to impersonate a law enforcement officer" in a black tactical vest and carrying a flashlight, according to the affidavit. He was wearing the flesh-colored mask. While knocking on the door, he repeatedly shouted, "This is the police. Open the door," the affidavit states. The couple answered the door. Thompson said that Boelter shined the flashlight in their faces, said there had been a shooting reported in the home and asked if they had any weapons. When he lowered the flashlight, they realized he was not a police officer. "They shouted out, 'You're not a cop. You're not a police officer,'" he said. "Boelter then announced, This is a robbery, and forced himself into their home." The senator tried to push Boelter backward out the door, at which point Boelter allegedly repeatedly shot the senator, according to the affidavit. He then repeatedly fired at the senator's wife. Around 2:06 a.m., their daughter called 911. The Hoffmans were taken to the hospital, where they remain. In a statement released by the family, Yvette Hoffman thanked law enforcement for capturing Boelter. "John and I are both incredibly lucky to be alive," the statement read. "We continue our healing journey and are humbled by the outpouring of love and support our family has received from across the state and our nation." After shooting the Hoffmans, Boelter traveled to Maple Grove, about 12 miles from Champlin, to the home of an unnamed public official, authorities said. The official and her family were not home. Security footage from the home showed him repeatedly ringing the doorbell around 2:24 a.m. and shouting, "This is the police. Open the door. This is the police. We have a warrant," according to the affidavit. He was wearing a black tactical vest and what looked like a law enforcement-style badge, it says. When no one came to the door, he drove the short distance to the New Hope home of another unnamed public official. By this time, local police were aware of the shooting at the Hoffmans' home and dispatched an officer to the home to conduct a safety check, the affidavit states. The affidavit says the officer encountered a man believed to be Boelter sitting in an SUV parked down the street from the home. The officer believed the SUV was a law enforcement vehicle. The officer tried to speak with the man but he did not respond. According to the affidavit, the officer drove to the official's home and Boelter left the area. Local police in Brooklyn Park were also made aware of the shooting at the Hoffmans and went to the home of Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, to conduct a safety check. According to the affidavit, when police arrived, a black SUV was parked outside the home and Boelter was standing near the front door. Moments after their arrival, he allegedly fired several shots into the home "as he moved forward, entering the Hortmans' home." A second set of gunshots could be heard from inside the home, it says. The couple had been shot multiple times and died from their injuries. Their family dog also died. Boelter fled the home, sparking a manhunt. In a statement shared Monday evening, the Hortmans' adult children, Sophie and Colin Hortman, said they were safe and with loved ones. "We are devastated and heartbroken at the loss of our parents, Melissa and Mark. They were the bright lights at the center of our lives, and we can't believe they are gone. Their love for us was boundless. We miss them so much," they said. "Our parents touched so many lives, and they leave behind an incredible legacy of dedication to their community that will live on in us, their friends, their colleagues and co-workers, and every single person who knew and loved them," the statement added. Five firearms and a large amount of ammunition were found in his SUV, according to a federal criminal affidavit. There were also several notebooks containing the names of more than 45 state and federal public officials. According to the affidavit, Boelter was connected to a home in north Minneapolis. A man at the home told authorities he lives there with Boelter, at least part-time. While searching the house, the affidavit says authorities found a handwritten list containing many of the same public officials named in the notebooks. Security footage from the area showed that Boelter returned to the home in the morning after the shootings. He was arrested Sunday night in a field in Green Isle, about a mile from the family home. Authorities had received a tip earlier in the day that said a person was seen riding an electric bike about 2 miles from the residence. Investigators said he purchased the bike and a sedan from a witness after the shootings. The sedan was found abandoned on a highway near the family home. During a search of the vehicle, Boelter allegedly left a note admitting to the crime, the affidavit says. This article was originally published on
NBC News
9 hours ago
- Politics
- NBC News
What we know about the suspect in the Minnesota lawmaker shooting
The man suspected of fatally shooting a Democratic Minnesota state representative and her husband, and wounding another state legislator and his wife, was captured in a Green Isle field on Sunday evening after a massive two-day manhunt. Authorities said Vance Boelter, 57, wore a "hyper realistic" silicone face mask, body armor, and a tactical vest to impersonate law enforcement when he carried out the violent rampage early Saturday morning. He planned "his attack carefully," acting U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota Joseph Thompson said, and used the internet to research his victims and their families. He conducted surveillance on their homes and took notes on the homes' locations, Thompson said at a Monday news conference. Boelter also allegedly purchased materials to make a fake "police" license plate for his SUV and equipped the vehicle with law enforcement-style lights before the shootings that killed Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, and wounded State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman. Thompson said it's clear Boelter had been "planning these attacks for quite some time." He faces both federal and state charges. Who is Boelter? In an online video, Boelter described himself as a married father of five from Green Isle, Minnesota. He said he works for two funeral homes and previously worked for three decades in the food industry. Boelter said in the video that he once traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo to partner with farmers and fishermen and help stimulate the country's food supply system. Boelter has a handful of traffic violations, including speeding and not using a seatbelt, records show. According to a statement, he attended the Christ For The Nations Institute from 1998 to 1990, when he graduated with a diploma in practical theology in leadership and pastoral. Records show he purchased his Green Isle home for over half a million dollars in 2023. During a federal court hearing Monday afternoon, Boelter said he now makes $540 a week through his part-time job and could not afford a lawyer. His federal defender declined to comment. Authorities located his wife and found two handguns, about $10,000 in cash, and passports for her and her children in her vehicle, the affidavit says. After the shootings, he allegedly texted his family: "Dad went to war last night … I don't wanna say more because I don't wanna implicate anybody." His wife also received a text from him saying, "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 motive for the attacks remains unclear. 'Stalked his victims like prey' Boelter took "deliberate steps to research his victims and prepare" for his alleged attacks, authorities said in the affidavit. He is accused of using the internet to find their home addresses and the names of their family members. The affidavit states that he also "made lists containing the names and home addresses of many Minnesota public officials, mostly or all Democrats. " Authorities said he found websites that sold hyper-realistic silicone face masks, and he allegedly purchased other materials from a store, including flashlights and resources that could be used to create the fake "police" license plate found on his SUV. He traveled to the homes of at least four public officials. "Political assassinations are rare. They strike at the very core of our democracy, but the details of Boelter's crimes are even worse," Thompson told reporters. "They are truly chilling. It is no exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmares. Belter stalked his victims like prey." 'This is the police,' suspect shouted before Hoffman shooting Boelter allegedly arrived at the Champlin home of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, in an SUV equipped with law enforcement-style emergency lights, the affidavit states. Video footage from the home showed Boelter approach the front door "dressed to impersonate a law enforcement officer" in a black tactical vest and carrying a flashlight, according to the affidavit. He was wearing the flesh-colored face mask. While knocking on the door, he repeatedly shouted, "This is the police. Open the door," the affidavit states. They answered the door. Thompson said that Boelter shined the flashlight in their faces, said there had been a shooting reported in the home, and asked if they had any weapons. When he lowered the flashlight, they realized he was not a police officer. "They shouted out, 'You're not a cop. You're not a police officer,'" he said. "Boelter then announced, This is a robbery, and forced himself into their home." The senator tried to push Boelter backward out the door, at which point Boelter allegedly repeatedly shot the senator, according to the affidavit. He then repeatedly fired at the senator's wife. Around 2:06 a.m., their daughter called 911. The Hoffmans were taken to the hospital, where they remain. In a statement released by the family, Yvette Hoffman thanked law enforcement for capturing Boelter. "John and I are both incredibly lucky to be alive," the statement read. "We continue our healing journey and are humbled by the outpouring of love and support our family has received from across the state and our nation." Boelter drives to homes of 2 other public officials After shooting the Hoffmans, Boelter traveled to Maple Grove, about 12 miles from Champlin, to the home of an unnamed public official, authorities said. The official and her family were not at home. Security footage from the home showed him repeatedly ringing the doorbell around 2:24 a.m. and shouting, "This is the police. Open the door. This is the police. We have a warrant," according to the affidavit. He was wearing a black tactical vest and what looked like a law enforcement-style badge, it says. When no one came to the door, he drove the short distance to the New Hope home of another unnamed public official. By this time, local police were aware of the shooting at the Hoffmans' home and dispatched an officer to the home to conduct a safety check, the affidavit states. The affidavit says the officer encountered a man believed to be Boelter sitting in an SUV parked down the street from the home. The officer believed the SUV was a law enforcement vehicle. The officer tried to speak with the man, but he did not respond. According to the affidavit, the officer drove to the official's home, and Boelter left the area. Rep. Hortman and husband shot and killed Local police in Brooklyn Park were also made aware of the shooting at the Hoffmans and went to the home of Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, to conduct a safety check. According to the affidavit, when police arrived, a black SUV was parked outside the home, and Boelter was standing near the front door. Moments after their arrival, he allegedly fired several shots into the home "as he moved forward, entering the Hortmans' home." A second set of gunshots could be heard from inside the home, it says. The couple had been shot multiple times and died from their injuries. Their family dog also died. Boelter fled the home, sparking a manhunt. In a statement shared Monday evening, the Hortmans' adult children, Sophie and Colin Hortman, said they were safe and with loved ones. "We are devastated and heartbroken at the loss of our parents, Melissa and Mark. They were the bright lights at the center of our lives, and we can't believe they are gone. Their love for us was boundless. We miss them so much," they said. "Our parents touched so many lives, and they leave behind an incredible legacy of dedication to their community that will live on in us, their friends, their colleagues and co-workers, and every single person who knew and loved them," the statement added. What evidence has been recovered? Five firearms and a large amount of ammunition were found in his SUV, according to a federal criminal affidavit. There were also several notebooks containing the names of more than 45 state and federal public officials. According to the affidavit, Boelter was connected to a home in north Minneapolis. A man at the home told authorities he lives there with Boelter, at least part-time. While searching the house, the affidavit says authorities found a handwritten list containing many of the same public officials named in the notebooks. Security footage from the area showed that Boelter returned to the home in the morning after the shootings. He was arrested Sunday night in a field in Green Isle, about a mile from the family home. Authorities had received a tip earlier in the day that said a person was seen riding an electric bike about two miles from the residence. Investigators said he purchased the bike and a sedan from a witness after the shootings. The sedan was found abandoned on a highway near the family home. During a search of the vehicle, Boelter allegedly left a note admitting to the crime, the affidavit says.
