Vance Boelter indicted in deadly shootings of Minnesota state lawmakers

The suspect in the killings of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, as well as the shooting of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, has been indicted by a federal grand jury, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

Vance Boelter, 57, has been charged with six federal crimes in what prosecutors described as a politically motivated shooting spree targeting Democratic state lawmakers in Minnesota. The charges carry potential penalties of life in prison or the death penalty.

The indictment alleges Boelter disguised himself as a law enforcement officer on June 14 and carried out a targeted attack on multiple elected officials and their families.

According to prosecutors, Boelter shot Senator Hoffman and his wife at their home in Champlin, Minnesota, and tried to shoot their daughter before fleeing the scene. He then went to the home of Representative Hortman, where he fatally shot both her and her husband. He was arrested two days later following a large-scale manhunt.

According to court filings and earlier statements from law enforcement, Boelter left behind notebooks with names and addresses of Minnesota political officials and used a vehicle equipped with police-style lights to approach victims’ homes. Multiple firearms and a large quantity of ammunition were recovered.

“Vance Boelter planned and carried out a night of terror that shook Minnesota to its core,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson said in a statement. “He carried out targeted political assassinations the likes of which have never been seen in Minnesota.”