State charges filed against man accused of shooting lawmakers, spouses

KSTP and The Associated Press contributed to this report WDIO

The man suspected of killing a Minnesota lawmaker and wounding another is now charged with murder after police arrested him Sunday near his home in Green Isle, Minnesota, following a two-day search.

Hennepin County Attorney, Mary Moriarty held a press conference on Monday morning announcing statee charges brought against Vance Boelter.

Boelter is accused of posing as a police officer and fatally shooting former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home early Saturday in the northern Minneapolis suburbs.

Authorities say he also shot Sen. John Hoffman, a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, at their home in a nearby neighborhood.

Press Conference with the Hennepin County Attorney:

Boelter faces two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder. In Minnesota, a suspect can only be charged with first-degree murder by jury indictment. These charges allowed them to obtain a nationwide arrest warrant, allowing law enforcement across the country to arrest him.

Bolter’s first appearance for state charges is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday in Minneapolis, according to court records and the Hennepin County Jail Roster. Boelter is being held on a $5 million bail. Federal prosecutors have announced that he will have an initial appearance also at 1:30 p.m. in the federal courthouse in St. Paul.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty spoke at a press conference at 11 a.m. Monday that their office intends to pursue first-degree murder charges and, with Boelter in custody, move to investigations. “We will be reviewing all of the evidence from law enforcement as it comes in,” they said. ” I do want people to know that given the scale of this investigation, the review of evidence will take time.”

Dawanna Witt, Sheriff of Hennepin County, spoke at the conference, expressing her deepest condolences to all those impacted. She talked about how Vance Boelter inflicted harm on the community while impersonating the people who are trusted to protect and serve.

These violent acts strike at the heart of our democracy and the safety of those who serve the public with dedication and courage. Our hearts go out to Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, their families and their loved ones. We are also grateful Senator Hoffman, and his wife Yvette are expected to recover, and we will be here to support them during their long journey of healing and grieve.

What happened over the weekend?

According to court documents, police responded to a shooting at a home in Champlin early Saturday morning at 2:05 a.m. The 911 callers said that a person wearing a mask had come to their door and shot her parents, John and Yvette Hoffman.

Video surveillance showed an SUV in the Hoffmans’ driveway with police-style lights on, and Boelter, who was wearing a police-style tactical vest, a badge, and a gun, approaching the front door. That’s when he allegedly knocked on the door and announced himself as police before entering the home and shooting Hoffman and his wife.

A short time later, Brooklyn Park police heard of the shooting in Champlin. Due to Hoffman’s status as a lawmaker, Brooklyn Park police decided to proactively send officers to the Hortmans’ home.

When they got to the Hortmans’ home around 3:35 a.m., they saw Boelter, dressed as a police officer, shoot Mark Hortman through the open door of the home. They also saw a Ford SUV with police-style lights.

Police exchanged gunfire with Boelter, who fled inside the home before escaping. Melissa and Mark Hortman were both found dead inside the home.

Inside Boelter’s vehicle, investigators found at least three AK-47 assault rifles, a 9mm handgun, and a list of names and addresses of other public officials. In the surrounding area, they found a ballistic vest, a disassembled 9mm firearm, a mask, and a gold police-style badge.

Court documents state Boelter was the listed purchaser for at least four of the recovered firearms. “A person familiar with [him]” also identified him as the man on the surveillance video at the Hoffman’s home. The video also showed Boelter knock on the door and announce himself as an officer before shooting the Hoffmans before fleeing in his police-style SUV.

Gov. Tim Walz spoke Sunday, saying “one man’s unthinkable actions have altered the state of Minnesota. Melissa Hortman was the core of who our values were.” He went on to say that “every ounce of effort” will be made to make sure justice is served.