MINNEAPOLIS — A 57-year-old man has been indicted on multiple charges stemming from a shooting that claimed the lives of Minnesota Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and left State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, injured. The indictment includes six counts related to the tragic incidents that unfolded recently.
Vance Boelter faces charges that include one count of stalking Representative Hortman and one count of stalking Senator Hoffman. Additionally, he is charged with two counts of murder while using a firearm, which could be punishable by death, and two counts of firearm offenses in connection with the Hoffman shootings.
U.S. Acting Attorney Joseph Thompson is scheduled to hold a press conference to discuss the details of the indictment. Boelter has previously opted to waive his rights to a probable cause hearing, expressing his desire to bring forth the facts underlying the case surrounding the shootings.
Thompson has described the events of that evening, revealing that Boelter allegedly approached the homes of two other lawmakers, although they remained unharmed. Reports confirmed that he intended to visit Representative Kristin Bahner and Senator Anne Rest, both of whom were located in the Maple Grove and New Hope areas, respectively. Police later discovered a list of names, including those lawmakers, at Boelter’s part-time residence in north Minneapolis.
In the hours following the tragic incident, law enforcement officials tracked text messages between Boelter and his wife. One message, sent just after 6 a.m., read, “Dad went to war last night … I don’t wanna say more because I don’t wanna implicate anybody.” A subsequent text to his wife expressed remorse while warning her about potential armed individuals approaching their home.
When officers contacted Boelter’s wife, she was found in her vehicle accompanied by their children, two firearms, and a substantial sum of cash. This discovery raised further concerns regarding the couple’s situation.
Alongside the federal charges, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty has filed second-degree murder and attempted murder charges against Boelter. Prosecutors are planning to escalate these charges to first-degree murder, which would result in a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole.
The unfolding details of this case have drawn significant attention, raising questions about safety and the extent of political violence. As the investigations and proceedings advance, community members and officials await more information on the significant implications of these events.
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