BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. (AP) — A man posing as a police officer shot and killed a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband in a brazen attack at their home early Saturday, and a second lawmaker and his wife were wounded in a separate shooting in what Gov. Tim Walz described as “targeted political violence.”
Police were searching for the gunman responsible for the attacks on the Democratic legislators. Writings found inside a fake police car recovered at one of the shooting scenes mentioned the names of multiple lawmakers and other officials, Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said.
Two people familiar with the matter identified the suspect being sought as 57-year-old Vance Boelter. The people could not publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
A LinkedIn profile appearing to belong to Boelter shows that he is a graduate of the former Cardinal Stritch University, having obtained a Master of Science in Management in 2010 and a Doctorate in Leadership for the Advancement of Learning and Service in 2016.
Check out: Suspect in shooting of Minnesota lawmakers has Milwaukee ties
The profile also lists him as working as an operations leader at Johnsonville, the Sheboygan Falls-based sausage company, from 2004 to 2008.
Sheboygan County property records show Boelter and his wife owned a home in the Town of Sheboygan from 2005 to 2013.
Melissa Hortman, a former Minnesota House Speaker, and her spouse were shot and killed early Saturday in their Brooklyn Park home. A second state lawmaker, Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, were shot multiple times in Champlin. Officials say both Hortman and Hoffman were mentioned in the suspect’s writings.
“When we did a search of the vehicle, there was a manifesto that identified many lawmakers and other officials. We immediately made alerts to the state. We took action on alerting them and providing security where necessary,” said Bruley.
State Patrol Col. Christina Bogojevic asked people “out of an abundance of caution” not to attend any of the “No Kings” protests that were scheduled for across the state on Saturday.
Bogojevic said authorities didn’t have any direct evidence that the protests would be targeted, but said the suspect had some “No Kings” flyers in their car. Organizers announced that all of the protests across the state were canceled.
Hours after the shootings, hundreds of police and sheriff deputies from departments in the region, some in tactical gear with assault style weapons were scattered through the town. Occasional police roadblocks where cars are stopped and checked.
Walz said Hortman and Hoffman were deliberately targeted.
“We must all, in Minnesota and across the country, stand against all forms of political violence," Walz said at a press conference Saturday. “Those responsible for this will be held accountable.”
TMJ4's Charles Benson spoke with neighbors of Hortman Saturday who are all trying to process the loss.
Malca and David Bialke live near the Hortmans and did not expect something like this to happen.
"It's heartbreaking," Malca said.
Mike, who did not wish to use his last name, knew Melissa.
"She was a very nice lady," he said.
Dennis Manke is the next-door neighbor to the Hoffmans and did not see this coming.
"Nobody deserves what happened to the Hoffmans or the Hortmans," he said.
At the time of her death, Hortman was the top Democratic leader in the state Legislature. She was also a former House speaker. She was first elected in 2004. She and her husband had two children.
Hoffman, a Democrat, was first elected in 2012. He previously served as vice chair of the Anoka Hennepin School Board, which manages the largest school district in Minnesota. Hoffman and his wife have one daughter. He represents a district north of Minneapolis.
Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said that authorities were actively searching for a suspect.
Autopsies will be done to determine extent of injuries, but Hortman and her spouse died from gunshot wounds, Evans said. A “shelter in place” order was in effect early Saturday.
Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson said the suspect was posing as a law enforcement officer.
“Suspect exploited the trust of our uniforms, what our uniforms are meant to represent. That betrayal is deeply disturbing to those of us who wear the badge with honor and responsibility,” he said.
Bruley said the suspect fled out of the back of Hortman's house after an exchange of gunfire with police.
The suspect was dressed like a uniformed officer and operating a vehicle that “looked exactly like an SUV squad car. It was equipped with lights, emergency lights and looked exactly like a police vehicle,” Bruley said.
President Donald Trump said in a White House statement that the FBI would join in the investigation.
“Our Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and the FBI, are investigating the situation, and they will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law. Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!”
Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, a Republican from Cold Spring, called the attack “evil” and said she was “heartbroken beyond words” by the killings of Hortman and her husband, Mark.
"With the law enforcement response ongoing and details still emerging, I will simply ask all Minnesotans to please lift up in prayer the victims of this horrific attack, as well as the law enforcement personnel still working to apprehend the perpetrator,” Demuth said in a statement.
The shootings happened at a time when political leaders nationwide have been attacked, harassed and intimidated during a time of deep political divisions.
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