Latest news with #SibleyCounty
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Dem Assassin Suspect ‘Crawled' to Cops After Being Lured Out of Hiding
The MAGA assassin suspected of targeting Democratic politicians in a shooting spree over the weekend was arrested after an intense manhunt that ended with him crawling to cops. Vance Luther Boelter, 57, was taken into custody near his Green Isle farm in Minnesota's Sibley County, local authorities announced in a press conference. According to a criminal complaint unsealed Sunday night, Boelter is charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder. The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office, one of multiple law enforcement agencies involved in the manhunt, released the first photos of Boelter's arrest in a Facebook post. Boelter was apprehended under a state criminal warrant issued over the fatal shooting of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman, 55, and her husband, Mark, 58, on Saturday morning. Sen. John Hoffman, 60, and his wife, Yvette, were also shot and injured in their Champlin residence about five miles away. Brooklyn Park Police Department Chief Mark Bruley said Boelter was arrested within 43 hours of the incident in what he described as 'the largest manhunt in the state's history,' which involved 20 SWAT teams spread out over a large area. Superintendent Drew Evans from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said authorities were tipped off about Boelter's location, prompting law enforcement to descend on a part of a field where the suspect was believed to be hiding. Boelter 'crawled to law enforcement teams and was placed under arrest,' Minnesota State Patrol's Lt. Col. Jeremy Geiger said. Evans said the suspect was armed but declined to specify the weapon. Boelter was apprehended without the use of force and was being interviewed at an undisclosed law enforcement facility as of Sunday night. The U.S. Attorney's Office is studying whether additional charges against Boelter will be brought at the federal level, Evans said. The superintendent added that they were confident Boelter acted alone and had not uncovered proof that he was part of a broader network, though they will also explore that possibility. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said the Hoffman couple was in recovery after the senator came out of surgery on Sunday. Walz previously called the shooting a 'politically motivated assassination' after authorities found that Boelter had a list of other potential Democratic targets, including the governor himself and House Rep. Ilhan Omar. 'A moment in this country where we watch violence erupt. This cannot be the norm,' Walz said Sunday. 'It cannot be the way that we deal with our political differences. Now is the time for us to recommit to the core values of this country.' Boelter is a father of five who has worked for decades in the food industry. He had served on a state economic board with Hoffman, though it's unclear if they knew each other. Boelter was appointed to the panel twice: once in 2016 by former Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton and later by Walz. Boelter was registered as a Republican when he lived in Oklahoma in the early 2000s, according to public records. Minnesota does not require voters to declare their political affiliation when registering. State reports cited by the Times list Boelter's affiliation as 'none or other' in 2016 and 'no party preference' in 2020. Boelter's roommate and longtime best friend, David Carlson, earlier told NBC affiliate KARE 11 that the suspect voted for Trump and was a strong supporter of the president. Carlson broke down in tears as he read his last text message from Boelter, sent hours before the shootings occurred on Saturday morning. 'I just want to let you know that I love you guys both,' Boelter wrote, according to Carlson. 'I don't want to say anything more and implicate you in any way, because you guys don't know anything about this, but I love you guys, and I'm sorry for all the trouble this has caused.'
Fox News
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
What motivated the Minnesota lawmaker shooting suspect is unclear, so are his politics
Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., condemned the assassination of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband as politically motivated, but questions remain about the suspect's political preferences. The Minnesota governor immediately denounced what he said "appears to be a politically motivated assassination," following the attacks Saturday morning. Vance Luther Boelter, 57, is accused of killing Hortman and her husband, Mark, and shooting state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in separate incidents early Saturday morning. Lawmakers from Minnesota and across the United States have since joined Walz in condemning the violent attacks. Politicians and authorities have been clear that Saturday's attack was politically motivated, but they have been less clear about the suspect's political preferences. U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson said Monday that Boelter's primary motive was "to go out and murder people," as authorities announced the suspect's apprehension on Monday after a two-day manhunt. "Now, they were all elected officials," Thompson said. "They were all Democrats. Beyond that, I think it's just way too speculative for anyone that has reviewed these materials to know and to say what was motivating him in terms of ideology or specific issues." Boelter, 57, was hit with federal charges after officials captured him in Sibley County on Sunday night. He is being charged with two counts of stalking, two counts of murder and two counts of firearm-related crimes in federal court. Boelter is also facing second-degree murder charges, filed in Hennepin County. "Political violence has no place in this country," Alvin M. Winston, FBI Minneapolis Special Agent, said during a press conference on Monday. While Thompson said it was too early to identify specific political motivation, he was clear in saying, "This was a political assassination." "It's only the most recent example of violent political extremism in this country," Thompson added, in light of two assassination attempts on President Donald Trump last year, the attack on former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband at their home in San Francisco in 2022 and the shooting of House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., at the congressional baseball game in 2017, to name a few. Records reveal Boelter registered to vote as a Republican while living in Oklahoma in 2004 before moving to Minnesota, where voters don't list party affiliation. Boelter was previously appointed to Minnesota's Workforce Development Board by two governors, according to Fox 9. The suspect was reportedly appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton, a Democrat, in 2016, and then re-appointed by Walz in 2019 as a private sector representative to the council. He previously served on the same board as Hoffman before his term expired in 2023. Friends and former colleagues interviewed by The Associated Press described Boelter as a devout Christian who attended an evangelical church and attended Trump rallies. Paul Shroeder, who has known Boelter for years, told AP, "He was right-leaning politically but never fanatical, from what I saw, just strong beliefs," and added, "It seemed to be just that he was a conservative Republican who naturally followed Trump." A Fox News search found no results for individual contributions to federally registered political committees. According to Boelter's LinkedIn page, he has a purported extensive security background, including as CEO of Red Lion Group based in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is also listed as the director of Praetorian Guard Security Services, a security firm his wife reportedly filed to create, according to the company's website. Several AK-style firearms were recovered from Boelter's vehicle during the investigation, along with a pile of "No Kings" flyers, reflecting anti-Trump administration protests that erupted across the country this weekend. Walz had planned to speak at a "No Kings" rally in St. Paul on Saturday before the assassination. Authorities also found a manifesto that listed the names and addresses of other public officials. About 70 names were found in the manifesto, according to two law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. Officials said the list also included the names of pro-abortion politicians, abortion rights advocates and information about health care facilities. "There were some abortion-rights supporters, I believe, on the list. But again, there was dozens and dozens and dozens of names on, you know, hundreds of pages of documents that were recovered with his writings on them," Thompson said. Boelter's roommate told The New York Post that he had conservative political views but rarely talked about politics and didn't seem overtly political. "He was a Trump supporter. He voted for Trump. He liked Trump. I like Trump," his lifelong friend David Carlson said. "He didn't like abortion." Carlson told The New York Times that Bolter had been experiencing financial and mental health challenges, and told the publication that he "just gave up on life for some reason." According to The Wall Street Journal, Carlson woke up on Saturday to a text from Boelter that he was "going to be gone for a while" and "may be dead shortly." "I thought he was going to do self-harm," Carlson said. "I didn't think he was going to do anything like this." Walz continued to denounce the violence during a press conference Monday. "A moment in this country where we watched violence erupt. This cannot be the norm. It cannot be the way that we deal with our political differences." And Walz added in a statement that we "cannot become numb to this violence," adding we are a "deeply divided nation." Walz's office and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Minnesota did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital inquiry.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Yahoo
Minnesota shooting: Cop's intuition stopped alleged violent rampage
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara joins NewsNation to discuss the capture of Vance Boelter, which ended the largest manhunt in Minnesota history. Authorities from all levels worked together in the 43-hour search that ended in a Sibley County farm field. A Brooklyn Park police officer is being praised for quick thinking that led to a confrontation with Boelter and helped stop his alleged violent rampage.
CBS News
17-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
In wake of Minnesota lawmaker shootings, experts say political violence has been on the rise in U.S.
Political violence has been on the rise in U.S., experts say in wake of Minnesota shootings Political violence has been on the rise in U.S., experts say in wake of Minnesota shootings Political violence has been on the rise in U.S., experts say in wake of Minnesota shootings Police said the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses this past weekend appears to be politically motivated. The suspect in the shootings, Vance Boelter, 57, was charged Monday with two counts of second-degree murder in the shooting that killed Minnesota state Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and two counts of second-degree attempted murder in the shooting that killed Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman and his wife separately in an overnight rampage Friday into Saturday. Boelter is also facing six charges in federal court, including stalking and murder. He was taken into custody on Sunday night near his Sibley County, Minnesota, home following a manhunt that lasted over 36 hours. "It's a chilling attack on our democracy on our way of life," said Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Joe Thompson. "It's only the most recent example of political extremism in this county and a trend that's been increasing in recent years." In the wake of the shootings, U.S. Capitol police said politically based threat investigations are up 400%. An Illinois lawmaker said she hopes the horrific tragedy will lead to increased safety measures for public officials and first responders. Shortly after police arrested Boelter in a field near his home in Minnesota, a search of his car turned up weapons, detailed plans for the attack, and the names of hundreds of Democratic lawmakers written in various locations. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker was in Minnesota on Friday for an event. He said his name was not found in Boelter's list, but some Illinois politicians' names were. "They recovered devices and other papers that had 600 names, more than 600 names," Pritzker said. "There are Illinois folks, like Iowa and others, but very few — and again, no one, the FBI specifically said to me that these people are not targets." Investigators called the murder of Hortman and her husband a political assassination. "It's only the most recent example of political extremism in this county — and a trend that's been increasing in recent years," said acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson. There have been several high-profile political attacks in America in just the last five years the U.S. Capitol was attacked on Jan. 6, 2021. On Oct. 28, 2022, Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul, was beaten by an intruder at the couple's San Francisco mansion. On July 13 of last year, President Trump — then campaigning for a new term — survived an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. On May 21 of this year, two Israeli Embassy workers were shot and killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., and on June 1, a peaceful march in support of Israeli hostages was firebombed in Boulder, Colorado. Dan Byman-Director warfare, irregular threats and Terrorism Project at the Center for Strategic International studies "There has been a significant increase in the number of Americans really seeing the other political side as an enemy," said Dan Byman, director of the Warfare, Irregular Threats and Terrorism Project at the Center for Strategic International studies. "Words like 'treason' show up. Calls supporting violence have increased. Polling indicates that significant numbers of Americans believe violence is justified if their particular cause is not fulfilled." Such inflammatory language can easily lead to violence, Byman explained. "Individual followers often taking it in their own direction, where they'll grab a little from one ideologue, a bit more from another ideologue, and then throw in their own pet grievances," he said, "and as a result, you have lots of angry individuals." Illinois state Rep. Nicole La Ha (R-Lemont) emphasized the severity of the threat. "I think it's really important that we, as elected officials, understand that our words carry a lot of weight," she said. "It definitely wasn't something on my mind that I need to be looking over my back." La Ha has previously introduced legislation modeled after the Judicial Privacy Act to better protect the private information of politicians and first responders. "Which includes our home addresses, our home phone numbers — and it allows us to ask government bodies to protect those things and to keep them private," La Ha said. "You know, it's unfortunate that sometimes we don't act until it's too late." Pritzker did not reveal the names of the politicians who were listed on the evidence found in Boelter's home and car. But he made it clear that it was not a hit list. If convicted, Boelter could receive the death penalty.
CBS News
16-06-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Vance Boelter, suspect in Minnesota lawmaker shootings, attended Dallas-based religious college
Vance Boelter, the man who authorities believe shot two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses in politically motivated shootings, attended the Dallas-based religious college, Christ for the Nations Institute, the school confirmed. Boelter, 57, was part of a two-year program and graduated in 1990, according to the school. Christ for the Nations Institute is an interdenominational charismatic Bible college and serves as the educational cornerstone of Christ for the Nations, Inc. It offers one, two and three-year programs in biblical studies, practical theology and practical ministry, respectively. The school was founded in 1970 by Gordon and Freda Lindsay and has graduated thousands of people to pursue careers in ministry. Vance L. Boelter booking photos released on June 16, 2025. Hennepin County Sheriff's Office After a manhunt that lasted over 36 hours, Boelter was taken into custody Sunday night after he was found in the woods near his home in Green Isle, in Sibley County, Minnesota. State Patrol Lt. Col. Jeremy Geiger said at a news conference that in the end, Boelter surrendered, crawling to officers to give himself up. The search had been going on since early Saturday, when Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman, a Democrat, and her husband Mark were shot and killed in their Brooklyn Park home and state Sen. John Hoffman, also a Democrat, and his wife Yvette were shot in their home in Champlin. Gov. Tim Walz said Sunday night that John Hoffman is out of his final surgery and is moving toward recovery and Yvette Hoffman is healing. Authorities said Boelter impersonated police officers as he approached their homes and shot his victims. Hennepin County court records show Boelter is charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder. Boelter's work history It does not appear that Boelter pursued a career in ministry, although a YouTube video streamed live in February 2023 shows Boelter preaching to a congregation in the Congo. In a LinkedIn post last month, Boelter said he was "looking to get back into the U.S. Food Industry" after spending three years on projects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with a company where he has been listed as chief executive since 2021. An archived version of the company's website, which is no longer active, described it as developing factories and training programs in the Congo. In an undated video posted online, Boelter said that while working to develop projects in the Congo, he started working at Minnesota funeral homes "to help pay the bills." Boelter is listed as Director of Security Patrols on the website of Praetorian Guard Security Services, where his wife is named President and CEO. In a profile on the website of Minnesota Africans United, which is no longer active, he is also described as the company's CEO. He previously worked as a general manager at a convenience store chain and at a food manufacturer, according to his LinkedIn profile. Boelter also worked as a general manager of a bakery in 2016, according to a Facebook post that year showing him posing with Cottage Grove police officers after delivering donuts as a gesture of appreciation. Public Appointments Boelter served on a state board with State Sen. John Hoffman, one of the victims injured in the attack, records show. Boelter is listed as a former appointee to the Minnesota Governor's Workforce Development Council. He was first named by Gov. Mark Dayton in 2016 as a private sector representative, with a term running through mid-2018, later extended to 2019. In 2019, Gov. Tim Walz appointed him to the Governor's Workforce Development Board as a business member, serving until January 2023, according to state records.
