The Hennepin County prosecutor will pursue first-degree murder charges against Vance Boelter, the suspect arrested in the assassination of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband. Boelter also was charged with six federal offenses, including stalking, murder and firearms charges.
In addition to the murder of Melissa and Mark Hortman, Boelter is accused of shooting state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. Both are expected to recover. Boelter visited the homes of two other state legislators who were unharmed, including Sen. Ann Rest in New Hope. The other target has not been disclosed, but officials say she is a Maple Grove representative.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office initially charged Boelter with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said the second-degree murder charges were filed on Saturday to obtain a nationwide arrest warrant. These are the highest charges that can be filed through a complaint. Moriarty is now seeking to charge Boelter with first-degree murder, which carries a heavier prison sentence.
The U.S. Attorneys’ office brought federal charges against Boelter on Sunday night. The charges include two counts of stalking using interstate facilities, two counts of murder, and two firearms offenses for the shooting of the Hortmans and Hoffmans. The federal murder charges carry the potential for the death penalty.
U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi condemned the attack in a press release.
“These horrific acts of violence will not go unanswered: the Department of Justice will prosecute this suspect to the fullest extent of the law and if convicted deliver severe consequences for his alleged crimes.”
Joe Thompson, the acting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota, said that the attack likely took months of planning. A list of names and addresses, including many DFL legislators, was found in Boelter’s car.
“It is no exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmares,” Thompson said at a press conference Monday. “It’s pretty clear from the evidence that he’s been planning these attacks for quite some time. There’s voluminous writings, as you’ve seen in the reporting, that were found both in his car and his house.”
The state criminal complaint brought against Boelter states that Brooklyn Park police officers saw Boelter shoot Hortman’s husband, Mark Hortman, before he fled. Officers found at least four firearms in Boelter’s car. Another disassembled gun was discovered in the surrounding area.
At a press conference Monday, state officials shared further details about the charges. Bureau of Criminal Apprehension supervisor Drew Evans said that Boelter cooperated with law enforcement when he was arrested Sunday night.
Moriarty addressed misinformation that has been circulating online following the assassination.
“It is a frightening time we are living in. Political violence is prevalent, and the way we talk to and about each other has raised the temperature to unfathomable levels….As our community grieves, I encourage those out there seeking to create additional chaos to stop spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories,” Moriarty said.
Boelter is expected to make an initial appearance in federal court Monday afternoon in St. Paul.
This article was originally published on Minnesota Reformer.
