The manhunt for a suspect who assassinated a Democratic state lawmaker and shot another ended on Sunday. The man, 57-year-old Vance Boelter, impersonated a police officer and visited the lawmakers’ homes, opening fire on them and their loved ones. In one shooting, he killed Democratic Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband.
In a separate attack, Boelter wounded State Senator John Hoffman and his wife. Boelter had a list of 70 people he targeted and is now charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder.
According to The New York Times, a search led authorities to Sibley County, an hour away from the shootings, and found Boelter’s car on a remote road.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz stated the shooting “appeared to be a politically motivated assassination,” but further details have not been mentioned.
A look into Boelter’s background revealed that he worked in the funeral industry and once preached in central Africa.
Boelter wore a ballistic vest, gloves, and a mask as he approached the lawmakers’ homes on Saturday morning. Police arrived at the home of Senator Hoffman, finding those wounded. That led to a check of Senator Hortman’s house nearby, finding Boelter and sparking an exchange of gunfire before he could escape around 3:30 a.m.