The gunman accused of killing a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband and wounding a second lawmaker and his spouse will face federal charges.
Federal prosecutors revealed in a six-count complaint that Vance Boelter has been charged with murder, stalking, and firearms violations. The Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota, Joe Thompson, said on Monday during a press conference that “It is no exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmares.”
“In the early morning hours of June 14, Boelter went to the homes of four Minnesota state politicians with the intent to kill them,” he added.
Thompson said Boelter “stalked his victims like prey.”
“He went to their homes, held himself out as a police officer, and shot them in cold blood,” he added.
Several of the counts Boelter faces carry the penalty of life in prison. He faces two counts of murder with a firearm, which may bring the death penalty, according to the U.S. attorney. Thompson, however, chose not to state whether he will seek the death penalty.
He said the suspect first arrived at the door of State Senator John Hoffman in the early hours of Saturday. He knocked on the door and shouted, “This is the police!”
The U.S. attorney said the senator and his wife came to the door, and they realized he wasn’t a police officer.
“You’re not a cop,” they said. Boelter then shot Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. He then went to the home of another state representative, who was not home at the time. The suspect also went to the home of yet another lawmaker.
The acting U.S. attorney said Boelter carefully planned his attacks, researching his victims and their families. He also surveilled their homes. Thompson added that Boelter had the names of 45 Minnesota state and federal elected officials in notebooks in his car.
“I have not seen anything involving some sort of political screed or manifesto that would clearly identify what motivated him,” said Thompson.
The suspect also faces first-degree murder charges on the state level, the Hennepin County prosecutor, Mary Moriarty, said during a separate press conference on Monday. The charges carry a mandatory sentence of life without possibility of parole. The suspect had already been charged with second-degree murder; however, first-degree charges include a grand jury indictment.
Moriarty asked that people cease sharing “misinformation and conspiracy theories” regarding the shooting. She added during the press conference that we’re living in a “frightening time” and that political violence is “prevalent.”
“We cannot continue on this way,” added Moriarty.
Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt told the assembled press corps that Boelter inflicted “unimaginable” damage to the community.
“These violent acts strike at the very heart of our democracy,” said Witt.
The suspect is alleged to have shot and killed the former statehouse Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark. Boelter also faces allegations that he shot a second lawmaker and his spouse, who both survived the ordeal. Hoffman and his wife Yvette are expected to make a full recovery, Witt noted.
Officials didn’t state whether Boelter has spoken about a possible motive. Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans noted that authorities would continue to collect information, regardless of whether Boelter chooses to cooperate.
Evans added that there was no “prolonged negotiation” needed during the apprehension of Boelter late on Sunday.
The shooting prompted the largest manhunt in the history of the state. It came to an end on Sunday after SWAT teams used drones to track Boelter as he was crawling through shrubs in a rural area southwest of Minneapolis.
Investigators found the suspect’s car and hat in Sibley County, roughly an hour away from the shootings. A resident made the authorities aware after spotting the suspect on a trail camera.
Boelter surrendered close to the town of Green Isle, where he had a home alongside his wife and children.
More follows…
