One week since two MN state lawmakers were shot
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Diverging Reports Breakdown
One week recap after two MN state lawmakers were shot
Vance Boelter, 57, is facing six federal charges for firearm offenses, stalking, and murder, punishable by death. Court documents reveal he allegedly targeted a total of four state lawmakers. Authorities found boxes of ammunition, a camouflage suit, a notecard with public officials’ names on it, multiple computers, and nearly $18,000 in cash in his home and storage unit. Police found several items inside his car, which looked like a police vehicle, including a hit list, including the names of the four lawmakers he allegedly shot on June 14. The search for the suspect led the police to his home in Green Isle, Minnesota, on Sunday evening, authorities said. A woman driving home told KARE 11 she saw Boelters hiding in the grass around 8 p.m., but they didn’t find him. He allegedly told police that at approximately 6.15 a.m. he received a text from a family group indicating that he was sorry for what happened.
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GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. — It’s been one week since Vance Boelter allegedly shot two state lawmakers and their families.
The 57-year-old is facing six federal charges for firearm offenses, stalking, and murder, punishable by death.
State Representative and Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman of Brooklyn Park and her husband, Mark, were killed. He said State Senator John Hoffman of Champlin and his wife, Yvette, were shot multiple times and are recovering.
The Hoffmans were shot around 2 a.m. on June 14. Minutes later, their daughter called 911.
Court documents reveal he allegedly targeted a total of four state lawmakers. The documents reveal that after he allegedly shot the Hoffman’s he drove to a state representative’s home in Maple Grove, but she wasn’t home. He then allegedly drove to State Sen. Anne Rest’s home in New Hope but left when he saw a police officer.
Authorities said he then drove to the Hortmans’ Brooklyn Park home around 3:30 a.m. Two officers said they saw Boelter at the door and shooting.
Boelter escaped, but police found several items inside his car, which looked like a police vehicle, including a hit list.
At a community healing and public safety update event on Friday, Brooklyn Park Chief of Police Mark Bruley said that once he learned that, he reached out for help.
“Approximately, 4:30 in the morning, I called the commissioner of public safety, and he was already alert about the incident,” Bruley said.
He said the commissioner asked him what he needed, and he said everything.
Authorities said around 7 a.m., he bought a stranger’s Buick and e-bike.
“As this went on, we gathered credible, excellent, reliable information that we had the suspect going into a home in North Minneapolis,” Bruley said.
Police executed a search warrant, but they didn’t find Boelter.
His roommates told KARE 11 he stayed there occasionally and were shocked to learn what he allegedly did.
“I wish I could’ve been there to stop him,” one of his roommates said.
The search for Boelter then led the police to his home in Green Isle. Sunday evening, authorities said he was spotted on someone’s trail camera, which helped them narrow the search.
A woman driving home told KARE 11 she saw Boelter hiding in the grass around 8 p.m. Sunday. Boelter was arrested shortly after 9 p.m.
In the days that followed, hundreds of people attended vigils and community healing events to process their grief.
Governor Tim Walz told a crowd in Champlin on Friday that Melissa was one of the most skilled people he has ever met, who was able to find a way to get things done.
Friday, search warrants disclosed what was found inside Boelter’s home and a storage unit.
According to the search warrants, inside Vance Boelter’s Green Isle home, authorities found 48 pistols, revolvers, shotguns, and rifles. They also found boxes of ammunition, a camouflage suit, a notecard with public officials’ names on it, multiple computers, and nearly $18,000 in cash.
In these search warrants, we also learned that Boelter had a storage unit on the 4600 block of N Lyndale Ave in Minneapolis. Inside the storage unit, authorities discovered a duffel bag with 5 body bags inside, gun cases, a pair of pants, gun cleaning supplies, and a grey tarp.
According to the search warrants, in an interview on June 14 with Boelter’s wife, she allegedly told police that at approximately 6:15 a.m., she received a text from Boelter in a family group chat indicating that he was sorry. The search warrant says he also texted her to get their family’s belongings and leave the house to go to a family member’s home in northern Minnesota to avoid being “implicated in this.”
Boelter’s wife also confirmed to the police that Boelter had recently purchased a silicone face mask on Amazon.