Minnesota Lawmaker Killing: US Police Find "Hit List" In Suspect's Car

The shooter who killed Minnesota Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, left behind a manifesto targeting pro-choice Democratic lawmakers. The suspect, identified as 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter, also injured State Senator John Hoffman and his wife in a separate attack. He remains at large as authorities intensify a statewide manhunt.

Boelter, who was impersonating a police officer, used a fake police vehicle with flashing lights to gain access to the victims' homes early Saturday morning. The manifesto, recovered from his vehicle, listed prominent Democratic leaders who support pro-choice policies. They also found handwritten papers marked "No Kings," pointing to possible anti-government or anti-establishment motives.

"When we did a search of the vehicle, there was a manifesto that identified many lawmakers and other officials," Brooklyn Park police chief Mark Bruley said, as per AP. "We immediately made alerts to the state and provided security where necessary."

The attacks began around 2 am in Champlin, where a 911 call led officers to discover Senator Hoffman and his wife suffering from gunshot wounds. Both underwent emergency surgery and are currently recovering.

An hour and a half after that, Brooklyn Park officers, acting proactively, went to Ms Hortman's home. There they encountered Boelter, who was dressed as an officer and opened fire before fleeing the scene. Ms Hortman, 55, was pronounced dead at home, while her husband, Mark Hortman, 58, later died at North Memorial Hospital.

Following the shootings, a shelter-in-place alert was issued for a 3-mile radius near Edinburgh Golf Course.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz confirmed the deaths in a press briefing, describing the incident as a "coordinated and targeted attack on elected officials." He urged residents to stay away from all political rallies until the suspect is apprehended.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner confirmed that both Hortmans died from multiple gunshot wounds. Brooklyn Park Police are leading the investigation, supported by the FBI and the State Emergency Operations Center, which has been activated in response.

Vance Boelter, a former appointee to Minnesota's bipartisan workforce development board under Governors Mark Dayton and Tim Walz, served until his term expired in 2023. By the afternoon, authorities had searched multiple locations connected to the case, including a home in Minneapolis. At 3 pm, Boelter was officially named a suspect and a $50,000 FBI reward was announced for information leading to his arrest.