 "In 2019, Boelter was appointed by Tim Walz to a four-year term on the Governor’s Workforce Development Board. FBI")
A massive search is on for 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter, who is accused of killing a senior Democratic assemblywoman from Minnesota and her husband, and shooting State Senator John Hoffman and his wife.
Officials said Boelter dressed as a police officer and shot former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, at their home in Brooklyn Park early on Saturday.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has called it “a politically motivated assassination.”
John Hoffman, who is also a Democrat, and his wife Yvette were injured at their home in Champlin, around nine miles (roughly 15 kilometres) away.
But who is Vance Luther Boelter? How did the incident take place?
Let’s answer these questions for you.
Who is Vance Boelter?
Boelter has worked in several fields, including security, international business, and workforce development.
As per Minnesota Africans United (MAU), he holds a doctorate in Leadership for the Advancement of Learning and Service from Cardinal Stritch University. He has worked with well-known companies like Nestle, Del Monte, and Marathon Speedway.
Corporate records accessed by Associated Press show that Boelter’s wife set up a company called Praetorian Guard Security Services LLC. The address used is the same as the couple’s Green Isle residence.
The company website names Boelter’s wife as the president and CEO, while he is listed as the director of security patrols. The site promotes armed security for events and properties. It also shows an SUV painted in black and silver, similar to a police vehicle, with a light bar on top and “Praetorian” marked on the doors.
In 2019, the 57-year-old was appointed by Tim Walz to a four-year term on the Governor’s Workforce Development Board. He earlier served on the same council in 2016, when Mark Dayton was governor.
According to CNN, Boelter registered as a Republican in the early 2000s.
Police said they found fliers in Boelter’s car with the words “No Kings,” a reference to protests held on Saturday against the Trump Administration. They also found a “manifesto” and a list of names of other politicians.
Notably, officers had briefly surrounded Boelter at Melissa Hortman’s home before he got away.
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said Boelter first shot Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. About 90 minutes later, Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed while officers were investigating the earlier shooting.
Evans said Boelter is considered armed and dangerous and is likely still in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. He added that it was too early to say what the motive might be.
Reuters reported that Boelter had ties to evangelical ministries and claimed to have security expertise in the Gaza Strip and parts of Africa, according to online posts and public records.
‘I might be dead soon’: Boelter texted friend
Police said the suspect was seen on Saturday wearing a light-coloured cowboy hat, a dark long-sleeved collared shirt or coat, and carrying a dark bag.
The FBI has announced a reward
of up to $50,000 for any information that leads to his arrest.
David Carlson, 59, told Reuters that he had been sharing a house in Minneapolis with Boelter for just over a year.
He last saw him on Friday night. Around 6 a.m. on Saturday, Carlson received a message from Boelter.
“He said that he might be dead soon,” Carlson said, who then contacted the police.
Carlson, who has known Boelter since the fourth grade, said Boelter had been working for an eye donation centre and stayed at the house due to its proximity to his workplace.
He said he now feels betrayed and heartbroken for the victims, adding, “His family has got to suffer through this.”
Minnesota shooting: What happened?
The attacker posed as a police officer and shot Minnesota assemblywoman Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark.
He also opened fire at Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, injuring them both.
Walz, who was Kamala Harris’ running mate during last year’s presidential election, said the suspect went to the Hortmans’ home after attacking the Hoffmans at their house in Champlin, a nearby town.
After firing at police at the Hortman residence, the suspect ran from the scene on foot.
The Hoffmans were taken for surgery. Walz said he was “cautiously optimistic” about their recovery.
Donald Trump said he had been informed of the “terrible shooting that took place in Minnesota, which appears to be a targeted attack against State Lawmakers.”
“Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!” he said in a statement.
The FBI has released photos of Boelter dressed in a rubber mask and a uniform resembling that of a police officer.
With inputs from agencies