US Shooting Suspect Went to Homes of Other Politicians on Same Night, Officials Say
A 57-year-old man accused of killing a US politician and her husband went to the homes of other lawmakers on the same night, intending to kill them, officials said. Vance Boelter, who has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder, meticulously planned his attacks, carrying out surveillance missions, taking notes on the properties and people he targeted, and disguising himself as a police officer, according to Minnesota’s acting US attorney Joseph Thompson.
“It is no exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmare,” said Mr Thompson, as reported by Sky News. Boelter allegedly shot and wounded Senator John Hoffman, a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, in their Minneapolis home in the early hours of Saturday morning. The Sky News article reported that authorities believe Boelter wore a mask as he posed as a police officer and shone a torch in the face of some of his victims to disguise his identity.
The Sky News article stated that Boelter then travelled to the home of another state lawmaker, but she and her family were on holiday, so they didn’t answer the door. Video showed that Boelter rang the doorbell at around 2.24am on Friday but left when the family didn’t respond. He then drove to the home of an unnamed state senator, but after the Hoffmans’ adult daughter called emergency services to say her parents had been shot, a police officer was dispatched to conduct a wellness check.
According to the Sky News article, that officer saw Boelter’s car parked up the street but thought he was another officer. Boelter had reportedly altered his car to make it look more like a police car. He then left and drove to the home of lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman. Local police officers, also conducting a check, arrived to see Boelter fatally shoot Mark Hortman through the open door of the home. Melissa Hortman was found dead inside.
The Sky News article reported that Boelter was arrested on Sunday evening after a huge manhunt in a rural area in Sibley County, southwest of Minneapolis. Before his arrest, the father of five texted his family group chat saying: “Dad went to war last night … I don’t wanna say more because I don’t wanna implicate anybody.” His wife got another text that said: “Words are not gonna explain how sorry I am for this situation… there’s gonna be some people coming to the house armed and trigger-happy and I don’t want you guys around.”
According to the Sky News article, several AK-style firearms and a list of about 70 names, which included politicians and abortion rights activists, were allegedly found inside his vehicle. A Minnesota official said politicians who had been outspoken in favour of abortion rights were on the list.
The incident has left many in the community stunned, with neighbours of the murdered US politician expressing their shock and sadness. The case is ongoing, with Boelter facing serious charges for his alleged crimes. As reported by Sky News, the FBI released an image of Boelter posing as a police officer, highlighting the premeditated nature of his attacks.
The image of Boelter, released by the FBI, shows him wearing a police officer’s uniform and a mask, demonstrating the level of planning and deception involved in his crimes. The Sky News article provided details on the crimes, quoting officials and providing information on the victims.
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