Former Walz Appointee Sought in Political Shootings of Minnesota Lawmakers

Vance Luther Boelter, a former appointee of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, is the suspect in a politically motivated shooting spree that resulted in the deaths of Minnesota House DFL leader Melissa Hortman and her husband, and the serious injury of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife. Boelter allegedly posed as a police officer during the attacks, which occurred early Saturday in Brooklyn Park and Champlin, Minnesota. Authorities recovered a manifesto and “No Kings” flyers in Boelter’s vehicle, linking the shootings to planned nationwide protests coinciding with a military parade attended by President Donald Trump. Governor Walz described the attacks as a politically motivated assassination and urged caution regarding the scheduled demonstrations. Police have launched a widespread manhunt for Boelter, who was appointed to the Governor’s Workforce Development Board in 2019 and previously served on the Workforce Development Council. Law enforcement officials have requested that the public avoid attending the “No Kings” protests out of safety concerns following these targeted shootings.