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USA Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Suspect of Minnesota lawmaker shooting to appear in federal court
Vance Boelter, who is accused of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers, faces six federal charges, including multiple counts of murder and stalking. If convicted, he will be eligible for the death penalty. The man accused of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses is expected to appear in federal court June 27, where he will face a half dozen criminal charges and possibly the death penalty. After what police have called the largest manhunt in state history, Vance Boelter, 57, was arrested and accused of killing state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and wounding state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. Both lawmakers are members of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, and officials have called the killings a targeted "political assassination." According to a 20-page affidavit filed in federal court, Boelter planned extensively for the June 14 attack and wanted to 'kill, injure, harass and intimidate'' more than 45 Minnesota state and federal officials. Prosecutors say he also intended to target several other Midwestern lawmakers. "It is not an exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmares,'' Joseph Thompson, the acting U.S. attorney for Minnesota, said. "Boelter stalked his victims like prey.'' Boelter faces six federal charges, including multiple counts of murder and stalking, making him eligible for the death penalty if convicted. His appearance in court in St. Paul for a combined detention and preliminary hearing comes as Hortman, her husband and their dog are set to lie in state at the Minnesota State Capitol. What happened in Minnesota shootings? Before the attacks, Boelter compiled a list of mostly Democratic state lawmakers and their addresses, disguised his SUV to look like a police squad car, and purchased a silicone mask and a cache of weapons, according to the affidavit. Boelter disguised himself as a law enforcement officer and went to the Hoffmans' home in Champlin, about 20 miles northwest of Minneapolis, around 2 a.m. on June 14, prosecutors say. Boelter opened fire on the couple in what Thompson called a "chilling'' attack captured on video. 'Stuff of nightmares': How investigators say attacks on Minn. lawmakers unfolded Boelter then traveled to two other unnamed lawmakers' homes before going to the Hortmans' house and killing them, according to the affidavit. He allegedly exchanged gunfire with police outside the Hortmans' home before escaping into a wooded area. Authorities eventually tracked Boelter to an area near his family home in Green Isle, Minnesota, about an hour southwest of the Twin Cities. The next day, at 9:10 p.m., Boelter crawled out of a wooded area and surrendered to law enforcement. Who is Vance Boelter? Suspect in Minnesota shootings Boelter's wife told investigators he was a doomsday "prepper" who set aside passports, guns and hordes of cash in the event of a catastrophe, according to a recently unsealed complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Minnesota. At various times, Boelter has claimed to work in the food service industry. In other moments, he's claimed he runs large firms involved with 'security situations' overseas, including Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Who is Vance Luther Boelter? What to know about the man wanted in the 'assassination' of a Minnesota lawmaker Court documents say Boelter worked at Red Lion, a 'security company and fishing outfit in Congo, Africa.' David Carlson, 59, told Reuters that Boelter worked for an eye donation center near the house they have been sharing in Minneapolis for more than a year. Suspect will also face state charges Boelter is also facing two counts of second-degree intentional murder and two counts of second-degree attempted intentional murder in Minnesota state court. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said she plans to obtain a grand jury indictment and upgrade the charges to first-degree murder, which carries a mandatory sentence of life without the possibility of parole. Contributing: Michael Loria, Eduardo Cuevas and Jonathan Limehouse, Christopher Cann, Terry Collins and Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sen. Mike Lee outrages Minnesotans with social media jabs about Hortman murder
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 13: U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-UT, participates in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on May 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. The Committee met to examining pharmacy benefit managers and competition issues in the prescription drug supply chain. (Photo by) Utah Sen. Mike Lee is facing criticism from a number of Minnesota politicians after appearing to make a joke about the suspect accused of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, claiming it was the result of 'Marxism.' That outcry includes several state Republican lawmakers, who pushed back on Lee's attempt to connect the alleged shooter to Democrats. The chair of the state's Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party called Lee 'one of the most dishonorable senators in American history.' Minnesota Democratic Sens. Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar said the joke was inappropriate and 'fuels this hatred and misinformation.' U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison, a Democrat representing the west metro, said Lee's comments represented 'the watershed moment where things need to change.' Vance Boelter was arrested Sunday night, suspected of the murder of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home. Charging documents allege Boelter wounded state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in a separate shooting. Police say Boelter had a 'hit list' of dozens Democratic elected officials and abortion clinics. He's facing several charges, including first-degree murder. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called the shootings 'an act of targeted political violence'; law enforcement cautioned against drawing hasty conclusions about motive during a Sunday briefing. Lee, who posts frequently on his personal X account, took to social media on Sunday, claiming Boelter has ties to Democrats and liberal politics. 'Nightmare on Waltz Street,' Lee wrote, attempting to connect Boelter to Walz, with his name misspelled. Lee's post featured two images of Boelter, including one taken from the crime scene. Boelter was initially appointed to a Workforce Development Council by former Democratic Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton in 2016, then reappointed in 2019 by Walz. Minnesota state government is home to hundreds of nonpartisan boards and commissions, and an appointment often only requires volunteering. 'My plumber is connected to me and my wife. That doesn't mean we have anything to do with his other activities,' wrote Minnesota state Rep. Walter Hudson, a Republican from Albertville, in a social media post, arguing 'this has nothing to do with Governor Walz.' Lee also made two other posts tying Boelter to 'Marxism,' the political philosophy serving as the foundation for communism that's often used by Trump-aligned conservatives to insult Democrats. That includes a post featuring the same image from the crime scene that read 'This is what happens … When Marxists don't get their way.' Lee's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. Lee, a prolific poster, made the comments on Sunday morning around 9 a.m. on his personal account on X, where he is known to be more inflammatory. Hours later, at 2:30 p.m., Lee posted from his official U.S. Senate account, where he typically takes a more measured tone, writing 'These hateful attacks have no place in Utah, Minnesota, or anywhere in America.' 'Please join me in condemning this senseless violence, and praying for the victims and their families,' the post reads. The Utah senator has since faced widespread backlash for his comments, including calls for his resignation. Critics have pointed out that Boelter was targeting Democrats, that his 'hit list' included abortion clinics, and that his roommate told reporters Boelter was a Trump voter. 'Senator Lee's heinous lies have only made the pain that Melissa's loved ones and colleagues are going through even worse. Using Melissa's murder to spread these lies is an act of evil that will cement his legacy as one of the most dishonorable senators in American history,' said Richard Carlbom, chair of the Minnesota DFL, in a statement to Utah News Dispatch. Smith, the junior Minnesota senator, confronted Lee in Congress on Monday, telling him his comments were 'brutal and cruel.' 'He should think about the implications of what he's saying and doing. It just further fuels this hatred and misinformation,' she said, according to CNN. 'I wanted him to hear from me directly how painful that was and how brutal that was to see that on what was just a horribly brutal weekend.' Smith said Lee 'didn't say a lot. Frankly, I think he was a bit stunned. … He certainly didn't promise to take it down or say anything publicly about it. … He seemed kind of surprised to be confronted.' Speaking on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' on Monday, Klobuchar said she also plans to confront Lee. 'What I'm going to tell him is this isn't funny what happened here. This is an incredible woman,' she said, adding that 'there was no Father's Day' for Hortman's children. 'I'll tell him about the law enforcement that did incredible work here,' Klobuchar continued. 'That's what I'm going to tell Sen. Lee when I get back to Washington today. Because this is not a laughing matter and certainly what we are seeing in increasing violence and this evil man who did this, this is not a joke.' Morrison, a first term congresswoman, took to X on Monday accusing Lee of promoting 'dangerous and harmful rhetoric we need everyone to call out and condemn.' 'This is the watershed moment where things need to change,' Morrison said, urging Democrats and Republicans to condemn Lee's remarks. 'This was posted one day after my friend — one of Minnesota's elected representatives — and her husband were assassinated in a politically-motivated attack. One day after another elected representative and his wife took 17 bullets from the assassin,' she said. 'We cannot accept this from a sitting United States Senator.' Minnesota state Rep. Nolan West, a Republican from Blaine, posted to X that he has 'tremendous respect' for Lee. 'But it doesn't mean he is immune from the base impulses social media incentivizes. People say stupid stuff on the internet all the time. The best they can do is admit they shouldn't have and be better,' he wrote. Speaking on the Senate floor Monday, Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, of New York, said he was 'deeply disappointed' in Lee, accusing him of taking 'cheap political shots at the other side.' Lee's comments, Schumer said, risk 'escalating a perilous moment.' 'What the senior senator from Utah posted after the shooting was reckless and beneath the dignity of his office,' Schumer said. 'For a senator to fan the flames of division with falsities while the killer was still on the loose is deeply irresponsible. He should take down his post immediately and apologize to the families of the victims.' Like Minnesota Reformer, Utah News Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Utah News Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor McKenzie Romero for questions: info@
NBC News
17-06-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
How Minnesota shooting conspiracy theories took over social media feeds
In the hours after the weekend shooting spree targeting Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota, information was still just trickling out. Most Americans were beginning to learn about the assassination of one lawmaker and the attempted assassination of another Saturday morning. With the information vacuum online, conspiracy theories were already beginning to flood in. Before authorities had even announced a suspect and just an hour after news of the shooting broke, right-wing pundits and agitators began to spread ideas about who they thought did it and why. And when the suspect's name was published, opportunists online baselessly asserted that he must have been a leftist activist whose alleged crimes were somehow tied to the issue of health care for illegal immigrants. The claims weren't confined to the political fringe. Tech billionaire Elon Musk, two Republican U.S. senators and other high-profile figures shared rumors about the shooting on X, the app that Musk owns, and some conspiracy posts on X tallied millions of views. 'There was a lot of speculation going on, simply because there's a lack of information,' said Erik Nisbet, a professor of policy analysis and communication at Northwestern University. It's now a pattern after tragic news events: Moments after a notable death or a crime, social media influencers accuse political rivals of guilt or complicity with little to no evidence, and when their theories turn out to be unfounded or false, neither the influencers nor the social media companies are held accountable. Other recent examples of the pattern include the attempt to assassinate Donald Trump last July in Pennsylvania and the assumption by some people that every mass shooting suspect is transgender. More information about the suspect in Minnesota has now come to light. Authorities arrested the suspect, Vance Boelter, late Sunday and have charged him with the murder of state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and the nonfatal shooting of state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. Hortman was a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, as is Hoffman. Boelter's car had notebooks with the names of more than 45 state and federal elected officials, acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said Monday. The federal criminal complaint against him says officials named in the notebooks were 'mostly or all Democrats,' and several Democrats said Monday they had been notified that their names were in the notebooks. Boelter was a strong supporter of Trump and voted for Trump, his roommate David Carlson told NBC affiliate KARE of Minneapolis. But those statements stood in stark contrast to the narrative that had already developed online. The shootings happened early Saturday, and the facts came out slowly. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, posted on X at 7:35 a.m. local time that he'd been briefed on the shootings. About an hour later, at 8:48 a.m. in Minnesota, the pro-Trump co-founder of a right-wing online publication floated the idea that the lawmakers were targeted from the left. Jason Robertson, whose X account often sides with Trump, noted that Hortman broke party lines recently to revoke Medicaid benefits for undocumented immigrants. 'I'm sure its just a coincidence,' he wrote, along with a GIF of a winking Steve Carell. (He also falsely said Hoffman broke party lines on the same vote, although he didn't.) His post had received 111,000 views as of Monday. In a direct message to NBC News, he defended it as a 'factual statement.' Over the next hour, other accounts on X chimed in with similar comments. A pseudonymous self-described MAGA supporter in Texas posted at 9:26 a.m., 'Their own attacked them.' Another pseudonymous X user who identified as a Midwesterner described the shootings as 'Blue on Blue violence' in a post at 9:59 a.m. Then, a photo posted by law enforcement caused confusion. At 11:03 a.m., the Minnesota State Patrol shared a photo on X that it said showed the inside of the suspect's vehicle. The photo showed stacks of 'NO KINGS' flyers on a seat, apparently referring to street protests that were planned for later Saturday. Authorities said at a news conference that they were sharing the photo to warn people that it might be unsafe to attend the protests in case the suspect was there intending harm. But some people on X had the opposite interpretation, taking the photo as evidence that the suspect was a sincere protester opposed to Trump. The suspect's name leaked shortly before 12 p.m. Minnesota time Saturday, giving amateur sleuths and conspiracy theorists additional fodder. Searching his name, some influencers seized upon a connection between Boelter and state government: In 2016, a previous Minnesota governor had appointed Boelter to a state advisory board about workforce development, and Walz had later reappointed him to the same board. But the connection was thin, according to Minnesota-based fact-checkers: The board has about 60 members, many of whom aren't politically connected and would have no meaningful access to the governor, The Minnesota Star Tribune reported. There are more than 130 such advisory councils in the state's government, the newspaper added. Some people assumed that the advisory board seat was of great significance, using it as a basis to refer to Boelter as an 'associate' of Walz. At 12:02 p.m. CT, Mike Cernovich, a far-right agitator, posted a smear of Walz, the former vice presidential candidate, in the form of a question asking whether he had had a role in the death of a 'political rival.' His post had 1.3 million views as of Monday. In a direct message on X, Cernovich defended his post to NBC News, writing: 'I didn't accuse him of anything. I asked a question.' At 12:19 p.m., Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, posted on X about the shootings that 'the extreme left' had become 'terrifying.' Moreno's office did not respond to a request for comment Monday. Musk posted about the shootings at 1:11 p.m., writing, 'The far left is murderously violent.' His post had more than 52 million views as of Monday. Musk did not respond to a request for comment Monday. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, posted several times about the shooting over the weekend, including three posts in which he blamed it on 'Marxism' and one in which he tried to tie it to Walz. Lee's posts sparked a furious response from Democrats, who said he was making jokes about murder, and Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., said Monday that she personally confronted Lee about his 'cruel' posts. Lee's office did not respond to a request for comment Monday. Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin, who is from Minnesota, expressed fury at the rumors that spread mostly unchecked on social media. 'The pain that families, loved ones, and community members including myself are experiencing following the brutal attacks on our leaders — and friends — in Minnesota has only been compounded by the rampant disinformation campaign pushed by the far-right and uplifted by cynical politicians who prefer to weaponize a tragedy through shameful lies than call for unity and compassion,' Martin said in a statement. 'This disgusting rhetoric plays no small part in how we have reached this dangerous political moment in our country, and instead of speaking truth, we have prominent far-right leaders and elected officials playing with matches around the tinderbox,' he said. Social media platforms have birthed viral rumors for more than a decade, but in recent years some online platforms have shifted radically away from content moderation and fact-checking while monetarily incentivizing viral posting. After Musk bought Twitter, which he renamed X, the service reinstated many previously banned users, stopped enforcing some rules about hateful content and began sharing revenue with users if they get engagement. This year, Instagram and Facebook's parent company, Meta, stopped fact-checking in the United States. Meta is rolling out a crowdsourced 'community notes' system, like a system on X in which users submit their own addenda to other users' posts, which other users then vote on. Use of the system on X has plummeted since the beginning of this year, according to an NBC News analysis. X didn't respond to a request for comment on the conspiracy theories on its app. Now, the apps are fertile ground for hoaxes and unconfirmed accusations to spread, experts said. 'The design of social media platforms facilitates and even incentivizes this kind of rumoring and political point-scoring in the wake of crisis events,' Kate Starbird, a professor and co-founder at the Center for an Informed Public at the University of Washington, said in an email. 'Some of the most prominent accounts on X gained their audiences by strategically posting breaking news content with a political angle for clicks and follows,' Starbird said. Even though federal prosecutors filed a criminal complaint against Boelter, Republicans continued to spread the seemingly false narrative Monday. Donald Trump Jr. told an interviewer with NewsNation that the Minnesota suspect 'seems to be a leftist.' When the interviewer, Connell McShane, said, 'He voted for your dad,' Trump didn't budge, responding, 'I'll believe that when I see it.' Experts said conspiracy theories like the ones about Minnesota serve two aims: to make the political opposition appear evil and to pre-empt claims about extremism on your own side. 'These types of conspiracy theories or disinformation campaigns — they serve political interests,' said Jeffrey Blevins, a professor at the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Cincinnati. 'Instead of, 'Look how radicalized my side of the aisle has become' — oh, no, 'it's their side of the aisle that is radicalized, and we don't have to deal with this now. It's their fault,'' he said. Nathan Walter, an associate professor of communications studies at Northwestern University, said online rumors are especially successful if they're established early in the news cycle, as appeared to happen in Minnesota's news vacuum. 'There's this rush to create the first narrative, and this is really crucial if you want to spread misinformation. And it's not very difficult, because it will always take more time for the real information to come out,' he said. 'Once the narrative takes hold, it's very, very difficult to debunk,' he said.
Indianapolis Star
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Manhunt underway for Vance Luther Boelter in Minnesota lawmakers shooting
Authorities say a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband were killed and another lawmaker and his wife were injured at their homes by a man impersonating law enforcement in what Gov. Tim Walz called a 'politically motivated assassination.' Law enforcement officials identified the suspect as Vance Luther Boelter, 57. Officials on Saturday afternoon said they were still searching for Boelter, who was last seen in the Twin Cities area. They considered him armed and dangerous. Earlier on Saturday, authorities said they were searching for a suspect who impersonated law enforcement to gain access to the victims' homes, exchanged gunfire with police and fled on foot outside Minneapolis. Asked by reporters for his reaction to the Minnesota shooting, President Donald Trump replied, "Absolutely terrible. Absolutely terrible, and they're looking for that particular man." He spoke from the White House just before getting into his car for the short trip to the viewing stand for the Army parade. "Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!" Trump said. Walz said state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were shot and killed, and State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were shot multiple times and wounded in 'targeted shootings' in Brooklyn Park and Champlin, two neighboring suburban cities 10 to 20 miles outside Minneapolis. Walz said Hoffman and his wife were out of surgery and officials expected them to survive. Hoffman and Hortman are both members of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. (The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) is a political party exclusive to Minnesota that was formed in 1944 when the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party merged.) Hortman was Speaker-Emerita of the House of Representatives, which is narrowly controlled by Republicans. House Speaker Lisa Demuth, a Minnesota Republican, said she was devastated by Hortman's loss. "She was respected by everyone at the Capitol as a formidable advocate for her values and her caucus," Demuth said in a statement. "She battled fiercely, but never let it impact the personal bond that we developed serving as caucus leaders." Multiple people had been detained for questioning but no one was in custody as of Saturday evening, Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said. Bruley said the shooter impersonated a police officer, complete with an SUV that appeared similar to real police vehicles, a vest, outfit and equipment. The shooter knocked on the victims' doors and used the ruse to "manipulate their way into the home," Bruley said. Minnesota 'No Kings': Protests canceled after two lawmakers shot, 1 killed Officials said they were still searching for Vance Luther Boelter, the 57-year-old suspect accused of shooting state lawmakers. Described as a white man who is 6 feet, 1 inch tall, Boelter was last seen Saturday morning in Minneapolis, according to Drew Evans, superintendent of the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. In an image shared by law enforcement officials, he was wearing a light-colored cowboy hat, dark-colored long sleeve shirt or coat and carrying a dark bag. Officials suspect he's still in the Twin Cities area, though he may be trying to leave the area. Evans said Boelter should be considered as armed and dangerous and urged members of the public to call 911. It's unclear whether additional people were involved in the shooting, Evans said. An FBI wanted poster shows a photo from one of the attacks that appears to show the gunman was wearing a latex mask. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has officially named Boelter as a suspect in the case, although he is not yet charged with any crime. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Boelter. Boelter is a St. Cloud State University graduate, according to SCSU spokesperson Zach Dwyer. Boelter wrote on his LinkedIn page that he was the CEO of a company called "Red Lion Group" and that he has traveled to Congo and several other countries, but those claims have not been confirmed. Boelter is also listed on a homemade web site of a company called Praetorian Guard Security Services, which lists him as director of security patrols. The website describes him as involved with 'security situations' overseas, including Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. The website described him as also having worked for a large oil refining company, a large food company based in Switzerland, and a large convenience retailer brand, based in Japan. None of those jobs or details could be confirmed independently on Saturday. On his LinkedIn profile, Boelter claimed to work as the general manager for a 7-Eleven location in Minneapolis from April 2016 to November 2021; a general manager at Greencore in Shakopee, Minnesota from July 2011 to April 2016; a Del Monte production system manager from April 2008 to July 2011 in Minnesota; an operations leader at Johnsonville Sausage from March 2004 to April 2008; and a supervisor at Gerber from February 1999 to March 2004. Last month he posted on LinkedIn that he was looking to "get back into the U.S. food industry," and that he is "pretty open to positions." In 2019, Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz named Boelter and dozens of others to his Governor's Workforce Development Board, which according to the governor's web site assists the Governor in "developing, implementing, and modifying the State plan, review of statewide policies and programs, providing recommendations on actions to align and improve the workforce development system and programs," and other state matters. The governor's web site listed Boelter as a "business and industry representative." His appointment was effective from December 2019 to January 2023, according to the site. A spokesperson for Walz said the governor's office appoints thousands of people of all parties to boards and commissions. The workforce development board has over 60 people on it. They are unpaid, external boards created by the legislature, and Walz doesn't interview applicants, the spokesperson said. They aren't appointments to a position in the governor's cabinet, the spokesperson said. The shootings come as about 2,000 "No Kings Day" demonstrations around the country are planned to protest against the Trump administration. Authorities found papers with "No Kings" written on them in the back seat of the suspect's vehicle, Col. Christina Bogojevic with the Department of Public Safety said. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety asked people in Minnesota to stay home from all planned demonstrations on Saturday, Gov. Tim Walz said. "Out of an abundance of caution my Department of Public Safety is recommending that people do not attend any political rallies today in Minnesota until the suspect is apprehended," he said. There was no evidence that there was a specific threat to the "No Kings" rallies, but Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said authorities were sharing the information about the papers found so the public remains informed. Planned "No Kings" protests in Minnesota were canceled to adhere with guidance from state officials, according to a statement from the coalition that organized the events. Given the targeted shootings of state lawmakers overnight, we are asking the public to not attend today's planned demonstrations across Minnesota out of an abundance of caution. Elected officials have described the shootings as a 'politically motivated assassination,' though law enforcement officials were still searching for clues behind the shooter's motives. 'This individual did this to instill fear into our community,' Brooklyn Park Mayor Hollies Winston said in a briefing Saturday afternoon. 'But they also wanted to create a distinct and singular point of view.' Inside the suspect's car, police found a 'manifesto,' including a list of other lawmakers, and papers saying 'No Kings,' which officials said was an apparent reference to ongoing protests around the country. Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said it was still premature to say what the motive was behind his writings. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said additional police resources have been used to check on the safety of public officials who may be at risk. Other police are actively participating in the search, he said in a Saturday Facebook post. 'Political violence is evil,' Frey said. 'It cannot be tolerated, and neither can those who condone it or make excuses for it.' Minneapolis, the largest city in the state, is located just south of Brooklyn Park and Champlin, where the shootings occurred. St. Paul, located next to Minneapolis, is the state's capital. Hoffman and Hortman are both members of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. Hoffman, 60, and his wife Yvette have one child and live in Champlin, according to his lawmaker profile. He was first elected in 2012. Hortman and her husband Mark have two children and live in Brooklyn Park, according to her profile. She was elected in 2004. Hortman served the people of Minnesota with compassion and grace, Gov. Tim Walz said. 'Our state lost a great leader and I lost the dearest of friends, Walz said. "She woke up every day determined to make this state a better place.' U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat who represents Minnesota, said she was "heartbroken" by the Hortmans' deaths. "Melissa was a good friend and we started in politics at the same time and were always there for each other. She was a true public servant to the core, dedicating her life to serving Minnesotans with integrity and compassion," Klobuchar said in a post to X. "This is a dark day today for Minnesota and for democracy, but we will not allow fear or violence to define who we are or how we move forward. We will stand together, we will stand strong," Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson said. 'I cannot emphasize enough that this is not ok. Any type of against elected officials is not ok. Any type of violence against other people is not ok,' nearby Mounds View Mayor Zach Lindstrom said in a post. Officials say the shootings unfolded in the early morning hours Saturday. At about 2 a.m., authorities were called to respond to a report of a shooting in Champlin at Hoffman's home, Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said at the news conference. The Hoffmans had been shot and wounded and were transported to a hospital, where they underwent surgery. "The Hoffmans are out of surgery at this time and receiving care, and we are cautiously optimistic they will survive this assassination attempt," Gov. Tim Walz said. While law enforcement was responding at the Hoffman home, police in neighboring Brooklyn Park, who were helping on the scene, decided to proactively check on Hortman, Bruley said. When they arrived at Hortman's home, they saw what appeared to be a police vehicle with lights on and encountered a man dressed as an officer coming out of the home. The suspect shot at the officers, who returned fire, and then the suspect went back into the home and is believed to have fled on foot out a back door, Bruley said. Bruley said the suspect impersonated a police officer, complete with an SUV that is identical to real police vehicles, a vest, outfit and equipment. The suspect knocked on the victims' doors and used the ruse to "manipulate their way into the home," Bruley said. "It was not a real police officer," he said. "No question if they were in this room, you would assume they are a police officer." Hortman and her husband were both shot to death, officials said. Thousands of people were sheltering in place in the area as a massive search for the suspect unfolds, authorities said Saturday morning. Residents should not answer their doors to anyone claiming to be a police officer without first calling 911 to confirm their identity, Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said. Officers have been instructed to only approach people in pairs, so a single police officer knocking on someone's door would be a red flag, he said. Gov. Tim Walz said earlier Saturday morning he was briefed on 'targeted shootings' and had activated the State Emergency Operations Center in response. The Brooklyn Park Police Department issued an early morning shelter-in-place alert for a 3-mile radius around the Edinburgh Golf Course, the city of Brooklyn Park said in a post to Facebook. Law enforcement agencies including SWAT teams are conducting grid searches of the area for the suspect on Saturday. "We want to reassure the public that there is increased security in place for elected officials and others who may be at risk," Jacobson said.
The Herald Scotland
15-06-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Who is the man wanted in the Minnesota lawmaker assaults? What we know
Minnesota authorites say they believe it was Boelter who impersonated law enforcement to gain access to the victims' homes, exchanged gunfire with police and fled on foot outside Minneapolis. David Carlson, 59, told Reuters that he has been sharing a house in Minneapolis with Boelter for a little more than a year and last saw him on Friday night. Then about 6 a.m. on Saturday, he received a text from Boelter. "He said that he might be dead soon," said Carlson, who called police. Carlson, who has known Boelter since fourth grade, said Boelter worked for an eye donation center and stayed at the house because it was close to his job. Carlson said he feels betrayed by Boelter and heartbroken for the victims, adding: "His family has got to suffer through this." The cryptic message sent to his roommate is just one of many unanswered questions surrounding Boelter. Officials have described the attacks as a politically motivated assassination. Boelter, who is considered armed and dangerous, is being sought by authorities following the "targeted shootings" at lawmakers' homes in Brooklyn Park and Champlin, two neighboring suburban cities. The shootings killed state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, while wounding State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. Both lawmakers are members of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said the suspect exchanged gunfire with police and fled on foot outside of Minneapolis. Bruley added that the suspect also had an SUV that is identical to real police vehicles, as well as an official-looking vest, outfit and equipment. Boelter lived just outside of Green Isle, a Minnesota city of around 600 people that's about an hour southwest of the Twin Cities, Mayor Shane Sheets told USA TODAY. Green Isle is a small community, Sheets said. Boelter had no known political involvement or affiliation in the city, he said. Online, Boelter presented himself as a security expert who had also worked for global companies. A LinkedIn page believed to belong to him showed he attended St. Cloud State University. University spokesperson Zach Dwyer confirmed Boelter graduated in 1996. He also appeared as a speaker for a Minnesota nonprofit serving African immigrant communities. Minnesota Africans United, a Brooklyn Park nonprofit, said in a statement that Boelter participated in an August 2022 virtual webinar about trade and investment in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Boelter's participation as a speaker was facilitated by a third-party, the statement said. He was never hired, paid or contracted by the nonprofit, which had no contact with him since the one-time appearance. A biography for the session described Boelter as having worked in Congo and for a security guard company. In 2019, Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz named Boelter to his Governor's Workforce Development Board. The governor's website said the board assists in "developing, implementing, and modifying the State plan, review of statewide policies and programs, providing recommendations on actions to align and improve the workforce development system and programs," among other matters. The governor's website listed Boelter as a "business and industry representative." His appointment was effective from December 2019 to January 2023, according to a notice. A spokesperson for Walz said the governor's office appoints thousands of people of all parties to boards and commissions. The workforce development board has over 60 people on it. They are unpaid, external boards created by the legislature, and Walz doesn't interview applicants, the spokesperson said. They aren't appointments to a position in the governor's cabinet, the spokesperson said. Praetorian Guard Security Services, a residential armed home security company in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, listed Boelter as director of security patrols for the company, according to its website. The company offered licensed armed security patrols, uniformed security and event security, with the latter service coming soon. "We drive the same make and model of vehicles that many police departments use in the U.S.," the website said. "Currently we drive Ford Explorer Utility Vehicles." An email and phone call to Praetorian was not immediately returned Saturday. Officials said the suspect's SUV appeared to look like a police vehicle when officers responded. In the SUV, police found writings listing the names of other officials and papers saying "No Kings," an apparent reference to ongoing protests across the United States. The state Department of Public Safety had requested people in Minnesota to stay home from all planned demonstrations on Saturday, Gov. Tim Walz said. In a post last month, the LinkedIn account believed to belong to Boelter said he was looking for work in the food industry. Corey Schmidt of The St. Cloud Times, part of the USA TODAY Network, contributed to this report.
