Minnesota Lawmakers Targeted in Politically Motivated Shootings
Vance Boelter is accused of fatally shooting former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and injuring another lawmaker in a politically charged attack in Minnesota.
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Overview
- Vance Boelter, 57, is charged with the murder of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and the attempted murder of another lawmaker, John Hoffman.
- The shootings occurred in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis, prompting a massive manhunt and a shelter-in-place order for local residents.
- Authorities discovered a manifesto in Boelter's vehicle, listing lawmakers and officials as potential targets, indicating a politically motivated attack.
- Minnesota Governor Tim Walz condemned the violence, calling it an assault on democracy and emphasizing the need for increased security for lawmakers.
- The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to Boelter's arrest, who was captured after a two-day manhunt.
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Analysis
Emphasizes the issuance of a shelter-in-place order in Brooklyn Park due to targeted shootings.
Police responded to a shooting at Hoffman's home in Champlin, Minnesota around 2 a.m. on Saturday.
Investigators suspect that the individual was impersonating a police officer.
Boelter and Hoffman both served on the same state workforce development board, with Boelter being a former political appointee.
Political leaders nationwide have been attacked, harassed, and intimidated during a time of deep political divisions, leading to the recent shootings.
Both lawmakers from Minnesota's Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party represented the northwest corner of the Twin Cities, residing about 8 miles apart in the suburbs north of Minneapolis.
Law enforcement recovered multiple AK-style firearms and a pistol from the suspect's vehicle.
The suspect exchanged gunfire with police before fleeing on foot.
Sen. Klobuchar expressed devastation over the murders and attack, calling it a stunning act of violence and an attack on democracy.
Authorities found an abandoned vehicle belonging to 57-year-old Boelter in rural Sibley County, near where he lived.
Vance Boelter, 57, was apprehended after the largest manhunt in the state's history, according to Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley.
Schumer requested increased security for Minnesota senators Klobuchar and Smith from Capitol Police following recent attacks.
The politically motivated shootings are being investigated as assassinations.
The list contained over 50 individuals, including officials from outside Minnesota, abortion rights advocates, and abortion facilities.
The shootings have heightened concerns about political violence and safety for elected officials.
Yvette and John Hoffman expressed gratitude for being alive and were in stable condition after surgery.
John Hoffman is currently undergoing multiple surgeries and is steadily progressing towards recovery.
The suspect in the shooting of two Minnesota lawmakers has been apprehended and charged.
The shooting in Minnesota is part of a broader pattern of high-profile political violence across the country in recent years.
Police and authorities established a large perimeter and deployed over 20 tactical teams to search for the individual.
He is currently charged with four counts of murder and attempted murder, but may face more charges related to the shootings.
A target list of dozens of Minnesota Democrats, including high-profile officials, was found in the suspect's vehicle after a shooting that resulted in the death of a state representative and injury of a state senator.
Geiger confirmed that the suspect was armed but did not fire any shots, and officials stated that no police officers were injured during his arrest and no other suspects were being sought.
Brooklyn Park Police Department sent patrol officers to the Hortmans' home at 3:30 a.m. after discovering a lawmaker was involved in the Champlin shooting.
Boelter's professional background is shrouded in mystery and inconsistencies have been found in his online records and employment history by NPR.
Hortman, 55, was a mother of two and an attorney who served her 11th term representing Minnesota House District 34B.
Investigators found a list of "targets" and a manifesto in the suspect's vehicle, leading authorities to believe the shootings were politically motivated.
Two incidents occurred in Minnesota, one in Belle Plaine and the other in Brooklyn Park.
Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were severely injured at their Champlin home.
Authorities believe Boelter acted alone, but investigators are not yet certain.
Klobuchar described the suspect as "evil" and "smart" while expressing concern about the potential harm to innocent people.
Authorities are searching for a suspect who fatally shot a Democratic state lawmaker and wounded another in her home.
Walz described the deaths of Hortman and her husband as a political assassination.
Officers arrived at Hortman's home at 3:35 a.m. and encountered an individual who immediately fired at them.
President Trump released a statement in response to the shootings.
Police recovered writings mentioning lawmakers and officials in a fake police car believed to be used by a suspect in the shooting of two legislators in Minnesota.
Vance Luther Boelter, 57, was arrested near his farm in Green Isle, Minnesota, after being spotted on a nearby trail via a camera on Sunday.
Police Chief Mark Bruley found a manifesto in Boelter's vehicle and recovered writings inside a fake police car at a shooting scene that identified multiple lawmakers and officials.
A shelter-in-place order has been issued for a three-mile radius around Brooklyn Park's Edinburgh Golf Course by the Brooklyn Park Police Department.
Brooklyn Park police officers witnessed Boelter shooting Mark Hortman through the open door of a home.
Hortman and her husband were tragically shot and killed in their Brooklyn Park home in an act of targeted political violence, sparking tributes from friends and colleagues.
The motives for the attacks remain unknown as authorities and investigators continue to work on establishing a possible motive.
Boelter was described as a devout Christian who attended an evangelical church and supported President Trump by friends and former colleagues interviewed by AP.
Boelter registered as a Republican in Oklahoma in 2004 before moving to Minnesota where party affiliation is not listed.
Authorities discovered a fake law enforcement SUV near Hortman's home.
The authorities found fliers for an anti-Trump rally and a notebook with names of lawmakers inside the building.
Hortman and Hoffman were both advocates for abortion rights in the state legislature.
Superintendent Drew Evans stated at a briefing that Boelter did not make any public threats before the attacks.
Law enforcement is conducting a large-scale search for the suspect responsible for shooting two Minnesota lawmakers, one of whom was killed.
Boelter is accused of impersonating a police officer during attacks on victims' homes, exchanging gunfire with police, and fleeing on foot in suburban Minneapolis.
Boelter allegedly impersonated law enforcement officers to gain access to lawmakers' and victims' homes.
The manhunt for the suspect in deadly attacks on Minnesota lawmakers, accused of posing as a police officer and shooting two Democratic lawmakers and their spouses in their homes, continued into its second day.
The suspect abandoned a police SUV, fired at police, fled on foot, and left behind a manifesto listing other legislators and officials, prompting a major search.
Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth expressed deep sorrow and condemnation for the 'evil' attack that resulted in the killings of Hortman and her husband, Mark.
President Donald Trump unequivocally stated that such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States.
Authorities found a stack of 'No Kings' flyers inside the vehicle connected to the protests.
President Trump has been briefed on a shooting targeting state lawmakers and is receiving assistance from Attorney General Pam Bondi and the FBI in the investigation.
Authorities are conducting a manhunt for a suspect impersonating a police officer.
Articles (144)
Center (54)
"…The briefings come as the shootings raised concern about political violence and security concerns for elected officials."
CBS News·1M·"…The man suspected of killing a Minnesota lawmaker and wounding another is now charged with murder after police arrested him Sunday near his home following a nearly two-day search."
Associated Press·1M·"…Yvette Hoffman said in the statement that she was shot eight times, while her husband suffered nine gunshot wounds."
USA TODAY·1M·"…The shootings in Minnesota are part of a string of high-profile political violence across the country in recent years."
NPR·1M·"…The man suspected of killing a Minnesota lawmaker and wounding another crawled to officers in surrender Sunday after they located him in the woods near his home, bringing an end to a massive, nearly two-day search that put the entire state on edge."
Associated Press·1M·"…A massive law enforcement search had been underway for the man suspected of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers, one fatally."
ABC News·1M·"…One man's unthinkable actions have altered the state of Minnesota."
USA TODAY·1M·"…The man suspected of shooting two Democratic lawmakers, killing one, in what Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called a “politically motivated assassination," was taken into custody, authorities announced Sunday night."
USA TODAY·1M·"…This grim development marks a disturbing escalation: while violence is not new, its recent migration to the state and local level represents a concerning trend."
ABC News·1M·"…The manhunt for Boelter lasted over 36 hours, as authorities issued shelter-in-place orders for parts of the northwest metro."
CBS News·1M·"…The attack was an "unspeakable act" that had "altered the state of Minnesota.""
BBC News·1M·"…The suspect wanted in the slaying of a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband, as well as in the injury shooting of a state senator and his wife, was found Sunday night armed and crawling in a field in a sparsely populated stretch of Minnesota, authorities said."
NBC News·1M·"…The man accused of assassinating the top Democrat in the Minnesota House held deeply religious and politically conservative views, telling a congregation in Africa two years ago that the U.S. was in a “bad place” where most churches didn’t oppose abortion."
ABC News·1M·"…A Sibley County Sheriff's Deputy blocks the road where the suspect involved in the shooting of two state lawmakers vehicle was found Sunday."
Fortune"…Police officers witnessed Minnesota suspect fatally shoot husband of state lawmaker before he fled scene, documents say."
ABC News·1M·"…One man’s unthinkable actions have altered the state of Minnesota."
Chicago Sun-Times·1M·"…Both of the targeted lawmakers belonged to Minnesota's Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, which is affiliated with the national Democratic Party."
BBC News·1M·"…We are incredibly lucky to be alive."
CBS News·1M·"…The man accused of assassinating the top Democrat in the Minnesota House held deeply religious and politically conservative views, telling a congregation in Africa two years ago that the U.S. was in a “bad place” where most churches didn’t oppose abortion."
Associated Press·1M·"…Authorities say they have found a vehicle belonging to the suspect identified in the targeted shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses."
CBS News·1M·"…Authorities are piecing together a profile of the alleged gunman accused of killing a Democratic Minnesota lawmaker and wounding another in two separate “politically motivated” shootings on Saturday morning."
NBC News·1M·"…Instead of facing this reality, prominent voices on the far right have pushed a conspiracy theory suggesting the killer was somehow motivated by left-wing grievance."
The Bulwark"…Authorities said Boelter disguised himself as a law enforcement officer during the attack and news reports have focused on his apparent work as a security professional."
NPR·1M·"…Klobuchar called political violence a "rampant problem" and said she "believes" that could have been one of the gunman's motivations for the Minnesota lawmaker shootings."
ABC News·1M·"…The attack that killed Hortman, her husband Mark and gravely wounded state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife was a nightmare scenario for the thousands of Americans who serve as legislators across the 50 states and in Washington."
Associated Press·1M·"…Despite the frantic search under way across the region, the city of Brooklyn Park, where Rep. Hortman lived, was still and silent on Sunday morning as the neighbourhood came to terms with the deadly attack."
BBC News·1M·"…The manhunt for 57-year-old Vance Boelter stretched into its second day following Saturday's twin attacks in Champlin and Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, and the discovery in the suspect's vehicle of an alleged target list of dozens of Minnesota Democrats."
ABC News·1M·"…Law enforcement officers including local police, sheriffs and the FBI, stage less than a mile from a shooting in Brooklyn Park, Minn. on Saturday."
Fortune"…The attacks prompted warnings to other state elected officials and the cancellation of planned “No Kings” demonstrations against President Donald Trump, though some went ahead anyway, including one that drew tens of thousands to the State Capitol in St. Paul."
Chicago Tribune"…Klobuchar mourned the loss of the couple killed, remembering that she was at a large political dinner with them the night before they died."
NBC News·1M·"…The shootings happened at a time when political leaders nationwide have been attacked, harassed and intimidated amid deep political divisions."
ABC News·1M·"…The attacks prompted warnings to other state elected officials and the cancellation of planned “No Kings” demonstrations against President Donald Trump, though some went ahead anyway."
Associated Press·1M·"…The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Boelter, now the subject of an intense manhunt as the prime suspect in the assassination of a Minnesota lawmaker, the murder of another person and the shootings of two others."
USA TODAY·1M·"…The attacks left one politician dead and another seriously injured."
BBC News·1M·"…Before Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman became a nationally recognized figure following her fatal shooting death alongside her husband Saturday morning — an act public officials have called an act of "political violence" — she was revered by colleagues as a dedicated public servant."
NBC News·1M·"…The shootings shocked a state that prides its politics as being “Minnesota nice,” even despite higher partisan tensions in recent years."
Associated Press·1M·"…The recent shooting in Minnesota underscores a troubling trend of political violence that has increasingly affected both public figures and major corporations."
Fortune"…The suspect then exited Hortman's home and exchanged gunfire with officers before fleeing on foot."
CBS News·1M·"…The targeted shootings left one Minnesota lawmaker dead and another injured, prompting authorities to investigate what has been described as politically motivated violence."
CBS News·1M·"…The shooting of two state lawmakers in Minnesota has sparked outrage and grief among leaders, with Governor Tim Walz condemning the attack as a horrific act of political violence."
ABC News·1M·"…Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed, and state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were wounded in politically motivated shootings overnight, Gov. Tim Walz said Saturday."
CBS News·1M·"…what appears to be a politically motivated assassination of Democratic leaders."
The Bulwark"…All coordinated "No Kings" protests in Minnesota have been canceled after two state lawmakers and their spouses were shot in targeted attacks on Saturday."
USA TODAY·1M·"…The list was allegedly written by the gunman who shot two lawmakers Saturday."
ABC News·1M·"…A gunman posing as a police officer who killed a senior Democratic Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband on Saturday in an apparent "politically motivated assassination," and wounded a second lawmaker and his spouse, remains on the run."
USA TODAY·1M·"…The deaths of Hortman and her husband were described as a political assassination, highlighting the severity and targeted nature of the violence."
CBS News·1M·"…The two shooting locations are a few miles away from each other in Champlin and Brooklyn Park, just north of Minneapolis."
ABC News·1M·"…The shootings occurred in Brooklyn Park and Champlin, neighbouring cities to Minneapolis."
BBC News·1M·"…The shootings happened at a time when political leaders nationwide have been attacked, harassed and intimidated during a time of deep political divisions."
Chicago Sun-Times·1M·"…This is a breaking news story about a politically motivated assassination that resulted in the deaths of a state lawmaker and her husband, and left another lawmaker and his wife wounded."
NPR·1M·"…Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says former House speaker and husband killed in politically motivated shooting."
Fortune"…A Minnesota mayor says two state lawmakers were shot in their homes early Saturday."
Chicago Tribune"…The shootings happened at a time when political leaders nationwide have been attacked, harassed and intimidated during a time of deep political divisions."
Associated Press·1M·"…This was an act of targeted political violence."
NBC News·1M·FAQ
The manifesto listed lawmakers and officials as potential targets, indicating a politically motivated attack. Additionally, it included a list of pro-choice supporters, although this detail may not be directly related to the shootings.
The shootings occurred in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis, specifically in Brooklyn Park and Champlin.
Local authorities conducted a massive manhunt involving local, state, and federal law enforcement officials. A shelter-in-place order was issued for local residents during the search for Boelter.
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