Politics
Bone-Chilling New Details Revealed Amid Probe Into Minnesota Assassin
The investigation into Vance Boelter, the suspect accused of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, has revealed chilling new details. The Federal Bureau of Investigation says that Boelter visited the homes of several other elected officials the night he murdered state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, while wounding state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife in a separate incident.
Boelter, 57, is now being charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder, a criminal complaint that was filed in Hennepin County Court stated. He’s facing six additional charges in federal court, including stalking and murder.
The bureau held a press conference on Monday where they shared additional details from their investigation. According to CBS News, Boelter was captured on Sunday evening close to his home located in Sibley County after a 36-hour manhunt.
Officials with the FBI said that Boelter traveled to the homes of two other Minnesota lawmakers on the night of Hortman and her husband’s murder. After the shooting at the Hoffman’s residence, the assassin went a state representative’s home located in Maple Grove.
That lawmaker, thankfully, was on vacation and was not home at the time of Boelter’s arrival. He then visited the home of a senator in New Hope. After news broke of the shooting at the Hoffmans, a police officer in New Hope traveled to the senator’s home to perform a wellness check.
When the officer arrived at the home, he saw what looked like another officer’s squad car. It was later identified as Boelter’s. The officer attempted to speak with Boelter, but he was unresponsive. By the time backup arrived, Boelter was long gone.
Bureau officials declined to provide the identities of the other lawmakers whom Boelter targeted.
“Thompson says Boelter then went to the Hortmans’ home in Brooklyn Park. Upon arrival, police officers saw Boelter several feet from the door. He instantly drew his weapon and began firing at the officers before he rushed inside the house, firing at the front door. He then shot and killed the Hortmans,” CBS News reported.
Investigators stated they believe that Boelter stalked his intended victims and meticulously planned his attacks. He conducted research on them and their families and surveilled them “for an extensive period of time.”
“This was a political assassination,” Thompson stated on Monday.
Mary Moriarty, Hennepin County Attorney, told the media in a separate press conference that her office will pursue first-degree murder charges against Boelter. If the jury convicts him, he faces life in prison without parole.
The second-degree murder charges were brought forth on Saturday as a means of obtaining a nationwide arrest warrant for the assassin.
“I want to assure our community and all those who are grieving that we will seek justice and accountability for the victims of these heinous crimes,” Moriarty told the people of Minnesota and the country.
Charges against Boelter say that police officers searched his SUV and discovered three AK-47 rifles, a 9mm handgun, along with a list of names and addresses of other public officials.
During their search of the area surrounding the Hortmans’ home, investigators found a ballistic vest, a disassembled 9mm handgun, a mask, and a gold badge made to look like one the police carry.
