The suspect in the killing of a Minnesota state lawmaker and the shooting of another visited the homes of two other legislators on the same day as those targeted attacks, according to federal investigators.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson said 57-year-old Vance Boelter “planned his attack carefully" after researching his victims and conducting surveillance on their homes. He said "he wore a hyper-realistic silicone mask" and dressed as a police officer to carry out the shootings against state House DFL leader Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were killed early Saturday morning, before allegedly shooting state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, who each survived with serious injuries.
"Political assassinations are rare, they strike at the very core of our democracy," Thompson said. "But the details of Boelter's crime are even worse. They are truly chilling. It is no exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmares. Boelter stalked his victims like prey. He went to their homes, held himself out as a police officer and shot them in cold blood."
Prosecutors have filed a 20-page complaint that states Boelter went to the homes of four Minnesota state politicians in the early morning hours of Saturday with the intent to kill them.
"Boelter first traveled to the home of Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman in Champlin, Minnesota," Thompson said. "Boelter arrived at the senator's home disguised as a police officer, he arrived in a black SUV with emergency lights turned on and with a license plate that read 'police.' Boelter wore a black tactical vest and body armor, he carried a flashlight and a Beretta 9-mm handgun. He also wore a hyper-realistic silicone mask.
"Sen. Hoffman had a security camera. I've seen the footage from that camera and it is chilling. Boelter knocked on Hoffman's front door and repeatedly shouted, 'This is the police, open the door.' Sen. Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, came to the door."
"When they opened the door, Boelter shined the flashlight in their faces and said there had been a shooting reported in the house," Thompson added. "Boelter asked if they had any weapons. When Boelter lowered his flashlight, which he had shined in their face, they realized that he was not a police officer. They shouted out, 'You're not a cop, you're not a police officer.' Boelter then announced, 'This is a robbery,' and forced himself into their home. When Sen. Hoffman attempted to push Boelter out and stop him from entering his home, Boelter shot him repeatedly. Boelter then shot Ms. Hoffman repeatedly."
The suspected gunman fled the scene and the couple's daughter called 911, and Thompson said Boelter went to another elected official's home immediately afterward.
"Boelter traveled to the home of another Minnesota state representative in Maple Grove, Minnesota," Thompson said. "Video surveillance showed that Boelter rang the doorbell at the state representative's house at approximately 2:24 a.m. on Friday night. Again, he was dressed as a law enforcement officer, wearing a tactical vest and body armor, carrying a handgun and a flashlight, and wearing that same hyper-realistic silicone mask. Again, the images, as you can see on the screen, are haunting now. Fortunately, the state representative was not home. She and her family were gone on vacation, and so Boelter left."
"Boelter then traveled to the home of a Minnesota state senator who lived in New Hope, Minnesota," Thompson continued. "He parked in the street in that same black SUV with the police license plate at about 2:36 a.m. on Friday night. After learning of the shooting of Sen. Hoffman, New Hope police dispatched an officer to conduct a wellness check on the state senator who lived in New Hope. When the New Hope officer arrived at the scene, she saw Boelter's black SUV parked down the block with the lights on. The New Hope police officer believed that Boelter was a police officer who had been dispatched to the scene to check on the status of the state senator."
"The New Hope police officer pulled up next to Boelter and his car rolled down her window and attempted to speak with him," Thompson added. "Boelter did not respond, according to the officer. He just sat there and stared straight ahead, so the New Hope police officer who had been dispatched to the scene proceeded to the state senator's home, and she waited for other law enforcement to arrive. When they did, by the time they did, Boelter had left the scene."
Boelter then went to Hortman's home, arriving at 3:30 a.m., parked in the driveway with his emergency lights flashing and went to the door in his police uniform and wearing the mask.
"He was armed and carrying a flashlight before he entered the home," Thompson said. "Two Brooklyn Park police officers arrived at the scene. They, too, had been dispatched to check on the senator and Rep. Hortman after learning of the shooting of Sen. Hoffman. When they arrived at the scene, they saw Boelter's black SUV parked in the driveway with the emergency lights flashing, and they saw Boelter standing in front of the house several feet from the door. When Boelter saw the officers get out of the car, he drew his weapon and began firing. He rushed into the house through the front door, firing into it. He repeatedly fired into the house, and when he entered, he murdered Rep. Hortman and her husband, Mark."
"The Brooklyn Park police officers fired at Boelter as he rushed into the home, but he escaped into the home and out the back," Thompson added. "Officers recovered Boelter's 9-mm Beretta, along with the body armor and the mask behind the home along his path of flight when he fled on foot. They later searched Boelter's car, where they found five more firearms, including assault-style rifles and a large quantity of ammunition. Boelter also had in his car notebooks containing a list of more than 45 Minnesota state and federal elected officials, including Rep. Hortman. Now, Boelter planned his attack carefully. He researched his victims and their families, he used the internet and other tools to find their addresses and names and the names of their family members. He conducted surveillance of their homes and took notes about the location of their homes."