Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has stated that a 57-year-old man was arrested on Sunday in connection with the murder of a Democratic state lawmaker and her husband. The accused had allegedly posed as a police officer while carrying out the heinous crime.
The arrest marked the culmination of an extensive manhunt launched after the shocking shooting deaths of Melissa Hortman, the senior-most Democrat in the Minnesota House of Representatives, and her husband, Mark, on Saturday. Governor Walz described the incident as a “politically motivated assassination”, underscoring the gravity and disturbing nature of the crime.
A Second Shooting
Authorities said the arrested suspect, Vance Luther Boelter, also allegedly shot and wounded another Democratic lawmaker, state Senator John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette, at their home a few miles away.
Walz said Hoffman, hit by nine bullets, was heading for recovery after emerging from his last surgery.
Boelter has links to evangelical ministries and claimed to be a security expert with experience in the Gaza Strip and Africa, according to online postings and public records reviewed by Reuters.
Shooter Charged
Boelter was charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder, a Hennepin County criminal complaint showed.
Three of those charges are punishable with jail terms of up to 40 years, according to the complaint unsealed on Sunday.
When police searched Boelter’s SUV after the shootings they discovered three AK-47 assault rifles, a 9-mm handgun, and a list of other public officials including their addresses, the complaint showed.
Increased Political Violence
The killing was the latest episode of high-profile US political violence.
Such incidents range from a 2022 attack on former Democratic US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband at their home, to an assassination bid on Donald Trump last year, and an arson attack at Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s house in April.
(With inputs from Reuters)
