Minnesota ‘assassin’ Vance Luther Boelter visited homes of other officials

The man accused of shooting two state Democratic politicians in Minnesota, Vance Luther Boelter, had visited the homes of two other elected officials that night.

A memorial for state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, both murdered, at the Minnesota State Capitol building afterwards. Picture: Getty Images.

The man accused of shooting two state Democratic politicians in Minnesota had visited the homes of two other elected officials that night as part of what police described as a chilling, carefully planned campaign of political violence.

Prosecutors outlined new details of the allegations against Vance Luther Boelter, 57, as they unveiled federal charges of murder and stalking. He is already facing second-degree murder charges in state court, and prosecutors said they intended to seek to upgrade those to first-degree murder.

Authorities captured Boelter on Sunday local time following an intensive two-day manhunt, the largest in Minnesota history.

Boelter is suspected of fatally shooting state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband on Saturday and wounding state senator John Hoffman and his wife.

This arrest photo released by the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office shows Vance Boelter at the Hennepin County Jail in Minnesota. Via AFP

Joseph Thompson, the acting US attorney in Minnesota, said Boelter went to the homes of at least four elected officials with the intent to kill them. He declined to identify the other elected officials allegedly targeted by Boelter.

Boelter appeared in federal court in St Paul wearing a bright orange shirt and pants during a brief hearing on Monday afternoon (Tuesday AEST).

He said he couldn’t afford a lawyer, telling the court he made $US540 ($825) a week from a part-time job and had a fully paid-off home and between $US20,000-$US30,000 in savings. He also said he had seven cars in his name, some used by his children.

During much of the hearing he sat, unshackled, and stared straight ahead. He politely answered a magistrate judge’s questions, addressing him as “sir” and “your honour”. Asked if he understood the charges against him, he said, “Yes, I do.” Magistrate Judge John Docherty set a detention hearing for June 27 and ordered Boelter held until then.

The federal charges against Boelter would give federal prosecutors the option to seek the death penalty.

During a press conference, Mr Thompson said Boelter initially travelled to the Hoffmans’ home where he knocked on the door, posing as a police officer while wearing a hyperrealistic mask.

When the couple opened the door, he shone a flashlight in their faces and said there had been a shooting reported in the house, authorities said. When he lowered his flashlight, they realised he wasn’t a police officer and told him so. He then said, “This is a robbery,” and forced his way inside. After Senator Hoffman tried to push Boelter out, Boelter shot the senator and his wife repeatedly.

He fled and the couple’s daughter called 911 just after 2am. That call put police on high alert, prompting law enforcement to monitor the homes of other elected officials, Mr Thompson said.

Federal officials said Boelter made two other stops before going to the Hortmans’ home. At 2.24am, he knocked on the door of another state representative in Maple Grove, but the representative and her family were on holiday.

Boelter then travelled to the home of a state senator in New Hope. A police officer, who had been sent to conduct a welfare check after learning the Hoffmans had been shot, saw Boelter’s car parked and tried to talk to him through the window because she thought Boelter was a police officer. He didn’t respond and stared straight ahead. By the time more officers arrived, Boelter was gone.

Boelter travelled to the Hortmans’ home in Brooklyn Park around 3.30am. He parked in the driveway. Two city police officers arrived to check on Ms Hortman and saw Boelter standing near the front door. Boelter then fired into the door and rushed into the house, where he fatally shot the Hortmans and escaped out the back. Police fired at him. It wasn’t clear whether he fired back.

“Political assassinations are rare. They strike at the very core of our democracy. But the details of Boelter’s crime are even worse. They are truly chilling. It is no exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmares,” Mr Thompson said, adding that he “stalked his victims like prey” and “shot them in cold blood”.

Evidence showed Boelter had been planning this attack for some time, Mr Thompson said. He said that it was hard to know what was motivating Boelter in terms of ideology.

Authorities found notebooks in Boelter’s car and home containing the names of more than 45 state and federal elected officials, including those who support abortion rights. Court records said the lists contained names and home addresses of mostly or all Democrats. He left behind hundreds of pages of documents that investigators are sifting through.

Boelter’s wife, whom police had stopped near a convenience store about 120km north of the shootings, had two guns, $US10,000 in cash and passports for herself and her children in her car, according to federal court records.

She and other family members received a text from Boelter at 6.18am saying “Dad went to war last night”, according to federal court documents. He also texted his wife to apologise, saying “there’s gonna be some people coming to the house armed and trigger-happy and I don’t want you guys around”, according to messages quoted in court filings.

Hours after the shootings, Boelter bought an e-bike and a Buick sedan from a man he met at a bus stop in Minneapolis, according to court records. Boelter emptied a bank account to complete the purchase, an FBI agent said in court documents. Cameras at the bank captured Boelter wearing a cowboy hat.

Officials tracked Boelter to a field in Green Isle, Minnesota, late on Sunday, about 1.5km from his home.

“He just had to give up,” said Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. “He knew he was surrounded.”

The state’s complaint against Boelter said that at least three AK-47 assault rifles and a handgun were found in his car, as well as a list of names and addresses of public officials. Police found a ballistic vest, a disassembled 9mm gun, a mask and a gold police-style badge in the area.

The shootings have prompted more concerns on Capitol Hill in Washington, where party leaders have put in place additional security for some lawmakers and are holding briefings this week.

Federal representative Hillary Scholten (a Democrat from Michigan) said on Monday she was postponing a town hall after her name was included on a list of lawmakers belonging to the suspect in the Minnesota shootings.

“Out of an abundance of caution and to not divert additional law enforcement resources away from protecting the broader public at this time, this is the responsible choice,” she said.

Other members of congress also said on Monday their names appeared on the suspect’s list, including Reps. Greg Landsman of Ohio, Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, Veronica Escobar of Texas and Debbie Dingell of Michigan.

The Wall Street Journal