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. He is now being held on $5 million bond. The Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota, Joe Thompson, said during a Monday 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 officials 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. They remain hospitalized but are expected to make a full recovery. 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 a fourth lawmaker.
Officials said Boelter shot and killed former statehouse Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark while police were outside the home.
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.
He added that there were “dozens and dozens of names on hundreds of pages of documents” found during the investigation. Some “abortion rights supporters” were included on the lists.
“This was a political assassination, which is not a word we use very often in the United States,” said Thompson.
Boelter “embarked on a planned campaign of stalking and violence, designed to inflict fear, injure and kill members of the Minnesota state legislature and their families,” an affidavit filed by FBI agents states.
Hours after the shootings, Boelter texted his wife, “Dad went to war last night,” according to charging documents. “I don’t wanna say more because I don’t wanna implicate anybody,” he added.
“Words are not gonna explain how sorry I am for this situation,” Boelter wrote in another text message. “There’s gonna be some people coming to the house armed and trigger-happy and I don’t want you guys around.”
The criminal complaint filed by the FBI agents states that police searched Boelter’s wife’s car following the shootings in the early hours of Saturday. They found two handguns, about $10,000 and passports for the wife and her children.
Boelter appeared in federal court in Minneapolis later on Monday, wearing an orange jumpsuit, slippers, and socks, according to CNN. The judge made sure that the suspect understood that he was allowed to ask questions. Boelter said he’s unable to pay for his own lawyer and requested a public defender.
The judge asked questions regarding the suspect’s finances, to which Boelter said he has a part-time job and that he earned “maybe” $540 a week. While he has no other income sources, he does own his home, which is paid for. He said he believes there are seven cars registered in his name, noting that a few of his children’s cars may be in his name. The judge noted that it’s unlikely that Boelter will be able to afford his own attorney and that he will recommend a federal public defender. The judge requested that the public defender’s office run a financial inquiry.
The judge orally dismissed the original federal warrant for unlawful flight. The next federal court appearance was set for June 27 After his appearance in court, Boelter was escorted out by three deputy marshals.
The suspect also faces first-degree murder charges on the state level, the Hennepin County prosecutor, Mary Moriarty, said during an earlier press conference. 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,” Witt said.
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 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 where the shootings took place. 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.
