U.S. prosecutors have charged a man with murder in connection with the alleged assassination of a Democratic congresswoman and her husband in Minnesota.
Democratic State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot dead by Vance Boelter after he allegedly visited the residences of at least four public officials in the early hours of Saturday, according to a complaint that was made public.
Boelter also allegedly shot Minnesota state senator John Hoffman and his wife, who remain in the hospital after surviving the attack, while posing as a police officer and donning a lifelike silicone mask. Prosecutors said Boelter did not attack the two other officials, who were not named, when he visited their houses.
Joseph Thompson, acting US attorney for Minnesota, revealed that Boelter got in a shootout with police at the home of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman before barging in and killing her.
“Before he entered the home, two Brooklyn park police officers arrived at the scene. They had been dispatched… When they arrived at the scene, they saw Boelter’s black SUV parked in the driveway with the emergency lights flashing,” Thompson said.
“But the details of Boelter’s crime are even worse, they are truly chilling,” he added. “It is no exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmares. They saw Belter standing in front of the house several feet from the door. When Boelter saw the officers get out of the car, he drew his weapon and began firing,” Thompson added.
He is charged with six federal crimes, including stalking, shooting, and murder. Thompson responded that it was “too early to tell” if the Department of Justice would pursue the death penalty.
Boelter, who is also facing state charges, is expected to appear in federal court in St. Paul, Minnesota, for the first time on Monday afternoon.
According to an FBI agent’s affidavit, investigators discovered five firearms, including assault-style rifles, notebooks, and a significant amount of ammunition in Boelter’s abandoned vehicle, a black SUV with a phony police license plate.
After the attacks, Boelter’s wife allegedly sent family members a text saying: “Dad went to war last night . . . I don’t wanna say more because I don’t wanna implicate anybody,” according to the affidavit.
He allegedly messaged her around the same time, saying: “[T]here’s gonna be some people coming to the house armed and trigger-happy and I don’t want you guys around.”
WATCH:
After a two-day manhunt, Boelter was captured Sunday evening.
Boelter reportedly left behind a manifesto that named 70 politicians, including Walz, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, and members of the state’s congressional delegation.
Additionally, the alleged assassin had “No Kings” flyers in his vehicle, a reference to protests against President Trump that took place across the country on Saturday.
The discovery sparked concerns about a possible link to anti-Trump protests planned across the state, leading authorities to urge the public to steer clear of such demonstrations for safety reasons.
Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley confirmed that a manifesto recovered from the suspect’s vehicle listed several lawmakers and officials, including Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman, as intended targets.
The “No Kings” flyers, previously reported by the Minnesota State Patrol, have drawn scrutiny for their apparent connection to nationwide protests planned for Saturday that oppose Trump’s policies.
“When we did a search of the vehicle, we did find a manifesto that identified many lawmakers and other officials. We immediately made alerts to the state to provide security wherever necessary,” Bruley said in a press conference.
Authorities and officials, including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, have condemned the shootings as “politically motivated” acts of violence.
