Who Is Vance Luther Boelter: Ex-Minnesota Official Accused of Killing Melissa Hortman and Husband

Authorities in Minnesota have launched a manhunt for Vance Luther Boelter, a 57-year-old former state official, who is being sought in connection with the fatal shooting of former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. Boelter, who previously served on the Governor's Workforce Development Board under Governor Tim Walz, is accused of impersonating a police officer to carry out two targeted attacks on state legislators in the early hours of Saturday.

According to The New York Post, Boelter first entered the Champlin home of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at around 2 a.m., shooting them both multiple times and leaving them critically injured. Just over an hour later, the suspect proceeded to the Brooklyn Park residence of Melissa Hortman, where he fatally shot both her and her husband. Officers arrived on the scene shortly after the shooting and engaged the suspect in a brief gunfight, but he managed to flee.

Background of the Suspect

Boelter's political history includes an appointment in 2019 to a four-year term on the Governor's Workforce Development Board under Governor Walz, and a previous role on the same council during the Dayton administration. The suspect is described as a white male with brown hair, last seen wearing black body armour over a blue shirt and blue trousers. He was driving a vehicle nearly indistinguishable from a legitimate police cruiser and had equipped himself with law enforcement paraphernalia, including a badge, a vest, and a Taser, allowing him to pass as an officer.

Inside the suspect's vehicle, investigators discovered flyers bearing the phrase 'No Kings'—a reference to anti-Trump rallies scheduled to coincide with Donald Trump's birthday parade—alongside a manifesto and a list of targeted political figures, including both Hoffman and Hortman. These findings, confirmed during a Saturday morning press conference by Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley, suggest the attacks were meticulously planned.

Ongoing Police Response

A shelter-in-place order was issued around 5:30 a.m. and expanded to cover a three-mile radius around the Edinburgh Golf Course. Authorities are advising residents not to open their doors unless two officers are present and verified. The FBI, along with local and state law enforcement, is assisting in the search, and the State Emergency Operations Center has been activated.

The shootings have prompted a wave of reactions from local leaders. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar called the attacks a 'stunning act of violence', expressing gratitude to law enforcement and sympathy for the victims' families. Mounds View Mayor Zach Lindstrom condemned the incident on social media, stating that 'violence against elected officials is not acceptable.'

Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords also weighed in, drawing parallels to her own experience as a survivor of a targeted shooting in 2011. 'An attack against lawmakers is an attack on American democracy itself,' she said.

At present, Boelter remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous. Authorities continue to urge the public to report any suspicious activity and avoid the affected areas as the investigation unfolds.