A man suspected of killing a Democratic state representative in Minnesota is expected to appear in court on Monday (June 16) afternoon in the state, and will face charges of murder.
Vance Boelter, aged 57, was arrested on Sunday and is currently being held in Hennepin County.
He is accused of fatally shooting Democratic House Minority Leader Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark at their home in Minnesota on Saturday, as well as injuring another Democratic state senator, John Hoffman, and his wife Yvette at a residence a few miles away.
Governor Tim Walz has characterized the case as a “politically motivated assassination.” He stated, “In this country, we witness outbreaks of violence, this cannot become the norm, this cannot be how we resolve our political differences.”
The criminal complaint shows that Boelter is charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder. Prison records indicate that he will appear in court on Monday at 1:30 p.m. local time. According to the criminal complaint unsealed in Hennepin County on Sunday, the three highest charges carry a maximum of 40 years in prison.
According to the criminal complaint, Boelter was posing as a police officer when he opened fire, dressed in a police uniform and driving a Ford SUV with police lights. Authorities said that he confronted police at the Hortman residence in Brooklyn Park early Saturday and then fled on foot, leading to the largest manhunt in the state.
The complaint reveals that when authorities searched Boelter’s SUV later, they found three AK-47 assault rifles, a 9mm handgun, and a list of other public officials, including their addresses.
Officials stated that based on intelligence, Boelter was holed up in a residence near Green Isle. With the assistance of surveillance aircraft, over 20 SWAT teams conducted a thorough search of the area. Boelter surrendered with weapons in hand, but did not fire.
Mark Bruley, Chief of the Brooklyn Park Police Department, stated in a press conference on Sunday that the operation to capture Boelter involved hundreds of detectives and federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, making it the largest manhunt in the state’s history.
(Reference: Reuters)