[quote] Chilling details emerge in Minnesota shootings as Vance Boelter faces federal charges: 'Stuff of nightmares'
The man suspected of shooting and killing a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband as well as shooting and wounding a second lawmaker and his wife "stalked his victims like prey" and "shot them in cold blood," acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Joseph Thompson said.
"His crimes are the stuff of nightmares," Thompson said at a news conference as he outlined the "chilling" details.
Vance Boelter, 57, is accused of killing Democratic Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and wounding Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in "political assassinations," Thompson said.
Boelter, who was arrested overnight near his farm in Green Isle, Minnesota, is facing federal charges including stalking and firearms charges and state charges including first-degree murder, officials said.
Boelter allegedly had firearms and a list of 45 elected officials in notebooks in his car, Thompson said. He allegedly surveilled his victims' homes and took notes, Thompson said.
Two other lawmakers were spared the night of the shootings, Thompson revealed as he outlined the four homes that Boelter allegedly drove to early Saturday.
Boelter allegedly first drove to Hoffman's home in Champlin, Minnesota, in a black SUV with emergency lights turned on and a license plate that said "police," Thompson said.
Hoffman's "chilling" security camera footage showed the suspect in a black tactical vest, body armor and a "hyper-realistic silicon mask," Thompson said. Armed with a flashlight and a 9 mm Beretta handgun, Boelter allegedly knocked on the front door and repeatedly shouted, "This is the police, open the door!" Thompson said.
When Sen. Hoffman and his wife came to the door, the suspect shined the flashlight in their faces, said there was a shooting reported in the house and asked if the couple had weapons, Thompson said.
The Hoffmans shouted, "You're not a cop!" Thompson said, and then the suspect announced that "this is a robbery" and he forced his way into the home.
When Sen. Hoffman tried to push the suspect out of the house, Boelter shot him and his wife, Thompson said.
The Hoffmans' daughter called 911, Thompson said.
At 2:24 a.m., Boelter allegedly drove to a state representative's house in Maple Grove, Thompson said. That lawmaker was not home as she and her family were on vacation, Thompson said, and Boelter left the scene.
Boelter then allegedly drove to a state senator's home in New Hope and parked on the street, Thompson said.
At 2:36 a.m., after learning of the shooting at Hoffman's home, New Hope police dispatched an officer to the New Hope lawmaker's house, Thompson said. When the officer arrived, she saw Boelter's car parked down the block and she believed Boelter was an officer dispatched to the scene, Thompson said.
The officer pulled up next to Boelter, rolled down her window and tried to speak with him, but he did not respond and stared straight ahead, Thompson said. So the New Hope officer drove to the state senator's home and waited for other law enforcement, and by that time, Boelter had left the scene, Thompson said.
After the Hoffmans were shot, officers proactively went to the home of his fellow lawmaker, former Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives Melissa Hortman, in the nearby town of Brooklyn Park.
When two Brooklyn Park officers arrived, they saw Boelter's SUV in the driveway with emergency lights flashing and Boelter standing in front of the house a few feet from the door, Thompson said.
When Boelter saw the officers, he allegedly started firing and rushed into the house, killing Hortman and her husband, Thompson said.
The Brooklyn Park officers fired at Boelter while he allegedly rushed into the home, but Boelter escaped into the house and out the back, Thompson said.
