The man who allegedly gunned down a state lawmaker and her husband in Minnesota—and left another lawmaker and his wife wounded—visited at least two other homes on the night of his rampage, officials said on June 16.
Vance Boelter, disguised as a law enforcement officer and wearing a silicon mask, started early Saturday at the Champlin home of state Sen. John Hoffman, shooting the senator and his wife.
Boelter then allegedly went to the home of an unnamed Minnesota state representative, according to Joseph Thompson, Minnesota’s acting U.S. attorney.
Surveillance footage showed Boelter ringing the doorbell at about 2:24 a.m. Saturday. The family was on vacation. When no one answered the door, Boelter departed, Thompson told reporters at a press conference on Monday.
Boelter then went to the house of another state senator, in New Hope, officials said. Boelter allegedly parked in the street in a black sports utility vehicle, sporting a police license plate, at about 2:36 a.m.
After learning about the shooting of the Hoffmans, a local police officer was dispatched to conduct a wellness check on the senator, and she parked near Boelter and tried speaking with him.
“He just sat there and stared straight ahead,” Thompson said.
The officer mistook Boelter for a fellow officer, so she proceeded to the senator’s home, according to Thompson. By the time other officers arrived, Boelter had left.
The suspect allegedly went on to the home of state Rep. Melissa Hortman, the top Democrat in the Minnesota House of Representatives. He arrived at about 3:30 a.m., authorities said, and parked in the driveway, with his vehicle’s emergency lights flashing.
Before Boelter entered the home, two local officers were said to have arrived on the scene to check on Hortman.
Boelter started firing his gun at the officers, then rushed into the home, where he allegedly murdered Hortman and her husband, according to state and federal charging documents.
Officers later recovered notebooks from Boelter’s vehicle that included a list of more than 45 state and federal elected officials, according to Thompson.
The list featured “mostly or all Democrats,” according to an FBI affidavit.
State charges, including stalking and murder charges, have been filed, but Boelter may face additional charges.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said at a June 16 press conference that Boelter has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder. Her office also plans to pursue first-degree murder charges.
— Zachary Stieber; Savannah Hulsey Pointer; Stacy Robinson
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