The man charged with killing a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband was heavily armed and had dozens of possible targets, documents show.
Authorities ended a nearly two-day manhunt by capturing 57-year-old Vance Boelter on Sunday after he allegedly gunned down Democratic Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband in their home and injured Democratic Minnesota State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife two nights prior. A criminal complaint says Boelter left behind a “police-style vehicle” with “at least three AK-47 assault rifles,” a ballistic vest and a hit list that reportedly included dozens of Democratic lawmakers and abortion providers.
The complaint alleges that Boelter introduced himself as a police officer at Hoffman home around 2 a.m. Saturday, shot the couple, and traveled to Hortman’s home to kill the lawmaker and her husband. Officers arrived at Hortman’s home, where Boelter allegedly escaped after killing the couple and exchanging gunfire with police, the document says. Hoffman and his wife survived the shootings, issuing a statement saying they are “incredibly lucky to be alive.”
Boelter is charged with murder and attempted murder and faces federal charges. It was not immediately clear if he had an attorney.
Boelter was director of security patrols for a private firm called Praetorian Guard Security, a now-deleted webpage shows. A profile from the site says he “has been involved with security situations” around the world, including the Middle East, Europe and Africa.
A “hit list” found in Boelter’s vehicle contains the names of more than 60 Democrat leaders and abortion clinics, according to Alpha News, which obtained a typed list distributed to police. Minnesota state police also said Saturday that “No Kings” fliers were also found in Boelter’s vehicle, apparently referencing anti-Trump administration protests scheduled that day in the state. Minnesota authorities advised residents not to attend the protests “out of an abundance of caution.”
Boelter also appears to have been an ordained minister for Revoformation Ministries, an evangelical Christian organization, according to multiple reports. His missionary efforts reportedly included evangelizing to Islamists in Gaza and the West Bank to turn them away from violence.
Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz appointed Boelter in 2019 as a business member for the Governor’s Workforce Development Board, according to an archived state document. Another record shows Boelter also became a private sector representative for the Governor’s Workforce Development Council under Walz’ Democratic predecessor, Mark Dayton.
Friends and others who knew Boelter said did not seem aggressively fixated on politics, and it is unclear how he allegedly spiraled into violence, the Minnesota Star-Tribune reported. A roommate of Boelter’s told FOX 9 that the suspect texted him at 6 a.m. Saturday to say, “I made some bad choices, I may be dead soon.”
Police pulled over Boelter’s wife in a traffic stop in Onamia, Minnesota on Saturday and allegedly found passports, cash, a weapon and ammunition in her vehicle, according to local media reports. She was reportedly brought in for questioning that day.
Boelter was finally cornered in a wooded area of Sibley County on Sunday night and “crawled out” to officers to be arrested, police said. Local police called the search for Boelter “the largest manhunt in the state’s history,” with 20 SWAT teams assisting.
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