Minnesota shootings suspect to face first-degree murder charges

Federal prosecutors on Monday charged the man accused of assassinating a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband, and shooting another lawmaker and his wife, with stalking, murder and firearms offenses.

Vance Luther Boelter, 57, is facing both state and federal charges in the assassination of Minnesota Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and the shooting of Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in a separate attack.

The details of the crime “are truly chilling, it is no exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmares,” Joe Thompson, the acting U.S. attorney for Minnesota, said Monday.

“Political assassinations are rare,” Thompson said. “They strike at the very heart of our democracy.”

Thompson said that early Saturday morning, Boelter went to the homes of four Minnesota state lawmakers “with the intent to kill them.”

He “planned his attack carefully,” including researching the victims and their families, and he “conducted surveillance of their homes,” Thompson said.

The remarks come after authorities late Sunday apprehended Boelter.

Authorities launched what they called the “largest manhunt” in state history for more than 24 hours after Boelter allegedly wore a mask and impersonated a police officer to gain access to the victims’ homes, where he then shot the victims.

“Mr. Boelter was taken into state custody, and our office intends to pursue first-degree murder charges against Mr. Boelter,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said Monday.

The maximum penalty for a conviction on first-degree murder charges is life in prison without parole, Moriarty said.

Authorities captured the suspect late Sunday in a rural part of Sibley County, Minnesota, where he was found crawling in a field. He was armed at the time of his arrest, but gunfire was not exchanged at the time of his arrest, authorities said.

Earlier on Sunday, authorities had discovered the suspect’s car and hat in Sibley County, leading them to zero in on the area.

The shootings rattled Minnesota and lawmakers across the country.

The suspected gunman was also carrying a notebook with names of other potential targets, including dozens of officials and lawmakers.

Gov. Tim Walz has said the attacks appeared to be “politically motivated.”

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.