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Vance L. Boelter is described as being 6-foot-1, 220 pounds with gray hair and brown eyes, according to the FBI. He should be considered armed and dangerous, the agency says.
A hit list was reportedly found in the police-type vehicle the suspect left in the driveway of the home of Democratic State Rep. Melissa Hortman, age 55, and her husband, Mark, who were shot and killed early Saturday morning, June 14, in Brooklyn Park, located about 11 miles north of Minneapolis.
After that shooting, Boelter sent a text to two friends stating he would be “gone for a while” and “may be dead shortly,” as recounted by one of his housemates, Dave Carlson, who read it aloud to reporters as shown in this video from the Minnesota Star Tribune.
“David and Ron, I love you guys," the text reads. "I made some choices, and you guys don’t know anything about this, but I’m going to be gone for a while.
"May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn’t gone this way. I don’t want to say anything more and implicate you in any way because you guys don’t know anything about this. But I love you guys and I’m sorry for all the trouble this has caused.”
Authorities say the suspect was disguised as a policeman when he committed the murders. Boelter worked for a Twin Cities-based security company and has training experience with the US Military, according to CNN. Authorities say he was also wearing a badge, vest, and taser.
He has experience in food service companies and dedicated several years to working in Africa, according to his LinkedIn bio, in which he identifies himself as Dr. Vance Boelter, saying he has a doctorate in leadership from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
They say they believe the same suspect then shot Democratic Minnesota State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their home in another Minneapolis suburb, Champlin. Both had surgery and are expected to survive.
The hit list had about 70 names, according to CNN Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst Jon Miller. He stated that it included numerous politicians, other state legislators, government officials, several mayors, medical clinics that apparently provide abortion services, and pro-choice groups.
According to ABC News, the hit list named Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Democratic Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota, and another Minnesota Democrat, Minnesota US Rep. Ilhan Omar.
It also included the state's attorney general, Keith Ellison, ABC reports. Boelter was described as a “strong” supporter of President Donald Trump by his housemate.
Locations outside the state were also on the list, Miller reports.
Boelter was appointed twice to the nonpartisan Governor’s Workforce Development Council — first in 2016 by former Gov. Mark Dayton and again in 2019 by Walz. He last worked on the council in early 2023, according to KSTP, ABC 5 in St. Paul.
There were fliers in Boelter's car referencing a "No Kings" rally, CBS reports. All the "No Kings" events scheduled in Minnesota on Saturday were canceled.
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