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Suspect in shootings of Minnesota lawmakers charged with two counts of murder
The man suspected of opening fire on two Minnesota legislators and their spouses on 14 June, killing one legislator and her husband, was apprehended late on Sunday night and charged with two counts of murder and two of attempted murder, the state’s governor, Tim Walz, said at a news conference.Vance Boelter, 57, is suspected of fatally shooting the Democratic state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, at their residence early on Saturday. Boelter is also suspected of shooting the state senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their home, seriously injuring them.“One man’s unthinkable actions have altered the state of Minnesota,” the state’s governor, Tim Walz, said at a news conference.Boelter was arrested in a rural area in Sibley County, southwest of Minneapolis, according to police, who added that he was armed when he was taken into custody. A criminal complaint unsealed Sunday night said Boelter faces two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder in the deaths of the Hortmans and the wounding of Hoffman and his wife.Authorities alleged Boelter fled on foot after police responded to a shooting at Hortman’s house. Authorities alleged Boelter was wearing a police uniform that so closely resembled an actual law enforcement uniform that most civilians wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.Earlier Sunday, Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said at a news conference a nationwide warrant had been issued for the suspect’s arrest.Evans said authorities found a car very early Sunday they believed Boelter was using, a few miles from his home in Green Isle, in the farm country about an hour west of Minneapolis. He also said they found evidence in the car that was relevant to the investigation, but did not provide details.The superintendent also said authorities interviewed Boelter’s wife and other family members in connection with Saturday’s shootings. He said they were cooperative and were not in custody.The FBI had issued a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction. They circulated a photo taken Saturday of Boelter wearing a tan cowboy hat and asked the public to report sightings.On Sunday evening, US Senator Amy Klobuchar shared a statement from Yvette Hoffman expressing appreciation for the outpouring of public support.“John is enduring many surgeries right now and is closer every hour to being out of the woods,” Yvette Hoffman said in a text that Klobuchar posted on social media. “He took 9 bullet hits. I took 8 and we are both incredibly lucky to be alive. We are gutted and devastated by the loss of Melissa and Mark.” More
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‘No Kings’ demonstrator dies after being shot at Utah protest, police say
A demonstrator who was shot on Saturday during Salt Lake City’s “No Kings” protest has died, Utah police said on Sunday afternoon.The man, Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, 39, had apparently been shot by a man who had been part of the event’s peacekeeping team.“Our victim was not the intended target,” Brian Redd, the Salt Lake City police chief, said, “but rather an innocent bystander participating in the demonstration.”Arturo Gamboa, 24, was taken into police custody on Saturday evening on a murder charge, said Redd at a Sunday news conference. Ah Loo had been taken to the hospital on Saturday evening, where he died from his wounds.Redd said a man in a brightly colored vest fired three shots from a handgun at Gamboa, inflicting a relatively minor injury to Gamboa but fatally shooting Ah Loo.Two of the peacekeepers in neon vests allegedly saw Gamboa separate from the crowd of marchers in downtown Salt Lake City, move behind a wall and retrieve a rifle around 8pm, Redd said.When the two men in vests confronted Gamboa with their handguns drawn, witnesses said Gamboa raised his rifle into a firing position and ran toward the crowd, said Redd.That’s when one of the men in the bright vests shot three rounds, hitting Gamboa and Ah Loo, said Redd. Gamboa, who police said didn’t have a criminal history, was wounded and treated before being booked into jail.Detectives don’t yet know why Gamboa pulled out a rifle or ran from the peacekeepers, but they accused him of creating the dangerous situation that led to Ah Loo’s death. The Associated Press did not immediately find an attorney listed for Gamboa or contact information for his family in public records.The gunshots sent hundreds of protestors running, some hiding behind barriers and fleeing into parking garages and nearby businesses, police said in a statement. “That’s a gun. Come on, come on, get out,” someone can be heard saying in a video posted to social media that appears to show the events.No Kings protests swept across the country on Saturday, and organizers said millions rallied against what they described as Donald Trump’s authoritarian excesses. Confrontations were largely isolated.The Utah chapter of the 50501 movement, which helped organize the protests, said in a statement on Instagram that they condemned the violence.The Utah chapter did not immediately respond to AP questions about the peacekeeping team. It was unclear who hired them, whether they were volunteers or what their training was prior to the event. Redd said that the peacekeepers’ actions are also part of the investigation.Police said they recovered an AR-15 style rifle, a gas mask and a backpack at the scene. More
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Manhunt continues for suspect in shootings of Minnesota lawmakers
The hunt for the man suspected of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses while impersonating a police officer, killing one legislator and her husband, continued on Sunday more than 24 hours after the killings.Vance Boelter, 57, now on the FBI’s most wanted list, is believed to have left the Minneapolis region after allegedly gunning down Democratic state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, at their home, according to CNN. Boelter is also suspected of shooting Democratic state senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their residence, gravely injuring them; a relative posted on Facebook that they were out of surgery and recovering.Authorities have disseminated photos of Boelter to border patrol agents in case he tries fleeing to Canada, CNN said.The Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar said on Sunday that authorities believe Boelter remains in the midwest. Klobuchar said on NBC’s Meet The Press that “he may be” in Minnesota and that law enforcement has issued an alert in South Dakota.“We believe he’s somewhere in the vicinity and that they are going to find him,” Klobuchar said. “But right now, everyone is on edge here because we know that this man will kill at a second.”An emergency alert was issued in Sibley county, which is approximately one hour from Minneapolis, around 12pm after Boelter’s vehicle was discovered, according to local Fox anchor Chenue Her. “Officials are telling residents nearby to take precaution as they continue searching for Boelter,” Her also reported.Klobuchar urged the public to be cautious if they see Boelter, warning they “should not approach him, that they should immediately call the tip lines and report”.View image in fullscreenPolice responded to a shooting at Hoffman’s house at about 2am local time, then went to check on Hortman, who lives approximately 9 miles away. When they arrived there around 3.30am they encountered Boelter, who was dressed as a police officer. They said he exchanged shots with them before escaping on foot.Hoffman’s nephew, Mat Ollig, told the Minnesota Star Tribune that both were recovering from surgery. In a Facebook post, Ollig said that Yvette saved their daughter’s life.“Early this morning, an absolute vile piece of shit dressed as a cop broke into my aunt and uncle’s house and shot him 6 and my aunt 5 times in a political act of terrorism. My aunt threw herself on her daughter, using her body as a shield to save her life,” Ollig wrote.“These two are the kindest, most giving and caring people I know. He went into politics to help people with disabilities get the care they need, and she works with young school children. They have always been there for me and everyone in our family and community.”Police said Boelter’s uniform might appear authentic to most people.Boelter also drove a vehicle that appeared identical to an SUV police squad car, said Mark Bruley, a local police chief. “It was equipped with lights, emergency lights, that looked exactly like a police vehicle, and yes, they were wearing a vest with Taser, other equipment, a badge very similar to mine, that, no question, if they were in this room, you would assume that they are a police officer,” Bruley said.Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota, said the murders appear “to be a politically motivated assassination”.The Federal Bureau of Investigation has offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to Boelter’s apprehension and conviction. He was added to the FBI’s most wanted list on Saturday.Before the attacks he reportedly contacted two friends by text message, which they read aloud to the Star Tribune: “I made some choices, and you guys don’t know anything about this, but I’m going to be gone for a while. May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn’t gone this way.”He added: “I don’t want to say anything more and implicate you in any way because you guys don’t know anything about this. But I love you guys and I’m sorry for all the trouble this has caused.”Authorities reportedly said that Boelter left a list of potential targets at the shooting scene. Multiple outlets have reported that it included pro-choice lawmakers, as well as reproductive health clinics.“There clearly was some through line with abortion because of the groups that were on the list, and other things that I’ve heard were in this manifesto. So that was one of his motivations,” Klobuchar said.She also urged the public not to make any assumptions and allow investigators to work. “But again, they’re also checking out, did he have interaction somehow with these without legislators? Is there more to this?”The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that 11 lawmakers in the state of Wisconsin were also among the targets listed in Boelter’s alleged manifesto.Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, said on MSNBC that he expects to convene with congressional leaders to discuss ramping up security for lawmakers across the country in the wake of the deadly attacks.“This should be another wakeup call amongst many that have happened over the last several years, including, of course, the violent attack on the Capitol that took place on January 6,” Jeffries said. More
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Two Democratic lawmakers shot, one fatally, in ‘politically motivated assassination’ in Minnesota
A prominent Democratic state lawmaker in Minnesota and her husband have been killed, and another Democratic state lawmaker and his wife were shot, in the early hours of Saturday.State representative Melissa Hortman has died, as has her husband, Mark, the state’s governor, Tim Walz, confirmed at a press conference on Saturday. He said the shooting “appears to be a politically motivated assassination”. Hortman was the top Democrat in the Minnesota house and the former speaker. The Democratic state senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were both shot multiple times and are out of surgery, and Walz said he was “cautiously optimistic” both will survive.The gunman was still at large, law enforcement said on Saturday, and the city of Brooklyn Park was still under a shelter-in-place order. The shooter was impersonating a police officer, dressed in a uniform that would appear to be real to most people, police said. Sources told the Associated Press that 57-year old Vance Boelter is currently being sought as a suspect.“No Kings” protests against the Trump administration are set for midday at the Minnesota state capitol and around the country, but the Minnesota state patrol and Walz have asked the state’s public not to attend “out of an abundance of caution”. The state patrol said “No Kings” flyers had been found inside the suspect’s vehicle.Organizers said they would cancel events across the state that hadn’t already started, though the main protest at the state capitol in St Paul is under way, with people in attendance.Brooklyn Park’s police chief, Mark Bruley, said at a press conference that the suspect drove a vehicle that looked identical to an SUV police squad car. “It was equipped with lights, emergency lights, that looked exactly like a police vehicle, and yes, they were wearing a vest with Taser, other equipment, a badge very similar to mine, that, no question, if they were in this room, you would assume that they are a police officer.”View image in fullscreenThe man had a list of other lawmakers and officials in the vehicle police searched, and alerts were sent out to take action and provide security to others, Bruley said.“There was a list of individuals, and the individuals that were targeted in this situation were on that list,” said Drew Evans, the superintendent of the Minnesota bureau of criminal apprehension. He added that it was “far too early in the investigation” to provide a motive or assess whether the victims had been targeted for their political affiliation, but that he believes the state will be able to provide more information on the motivation behind the attacks as the investigation unfolds.“We’re here today because an unspeakable tragedy has unfolded in Minnesota,” Walz said. “My good friend and colleague, Speaker Melissa Hortman, and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed early this morning in what appears to be a politically motivated assassination. Our state lost a great leader, and I lost the dearest of friends.”He added that Hortman was “someone who served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, humor and a sense of service. She was a formidable public servant, a fixture and a giant in Minnesota. She woke up every day determined to make this state a better place. She is irreplaceable.”Democratic state senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were both shot multiple times and are out of surgery, and Walz said he was “cautiously optimistic” both will survive.“This was an act of targeted political violence,” Walz said. “Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don’t settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint.”At about 2am local time, police received a call in Champlin, a suburb of Minneapolis, that Hoffman and his wife had been shot, Evans said. Police in Champlin responded to that location, and police in a nearby suburb, Brooklyn Park, assisted.Police in Brooklyn Park went to Hortman’s house at about 3.30am to check on her, given the nearby shooting of Hoffman. Upon arrival at Hortman’s house, officers saw a supposed police vehicle in the driveway with emergency lights on and what appeared to be an officer coming out of the house, Bruley said. The gunman, impersonating an officer, immediately fired at them, and then was able to escape out the back of the house, Bruley said.“This is somebody that clearly had been impersonating a police officer, again, using the trust of this badge and this uniform to manipulate their way into the home,” Bruley said.View image in fullscreenPolice found a man with gunshot wounds, Hortman’s husband, and administered first aid, but he was pronounced dead shortly after. Officers then used a drone to identify the woman, Hortman, in the home.Bruley advised people in the area to call in to the police department if an officer arrives to ensure the officer belongs there, which dispatch would be able to confirm. Officers were approaching people in pairs of two officers as the search continued, he said, so if there is a single officer outside your door, do not answer. Police had detained several people for questioning, but did not have anyone in custody at the time, Bruley said.Bob Jacobson, the commissioner of the state’s department of public safety, said there was increased security in place for elected officials and others who may be at risk.“This is a dark day today for Minnesota and for democracy,” Jacobson said. “We will not allow fear or violence to define who we are or how we move forward. We will stand together. We will stand strong … These are public servants, leaders who committed their lives to improving the lives of others, and they were targeted in a violent and cowardly way.”Minnesota’s house of representatives was evenly split between Republicans and Democrats. Democrats have a one-vote majority in the state senate.Amy Klobuchar, the state’s Democratic senator, called the shootings “a stunning act of violence”: “My prayers are with the Hortman and Hoffman families. Both legislators are close friends and devoted to their families and public service.”Trump said in a statement that he had been briefed on the shootings, which appeared to be a “targeted attack against state lawmakers”. The US attorney general, Pam Bondi, and the FBI was investigating and would prosecute anyone involved “to the fullest extent of the law”, Trump said. “Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America,” he said. “God bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!”The shootings took place at a time when political violence has become more commonplace in the US, though the vast majority of Americans do not support it, according to a University of Chicago survey. More
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‘Antisemitism is real’: US leaders condemn attack on Colorado rally for Israeli hostages
Political leaders across the US have condemned what they describe as a horrific, antisemitic attack in Boulder, Colorado, after a man allegedly used a makeshift flamethrower and incendiary devices to target people at a rally calling for the release of the hostages held by Hamas.Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, has been charged with multiple felonies after allegedly shouting “Free Palestine” as he attacked the crowd on Sunday. The incident occurred during an event organized by Run for Their Lives, a group that aims to draw attention to people taken hostage following Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023.The FBI is treating the attack as an “act of terrorism”, with Pam Bondi, the attorney general, saying that “FBI agents are on the ground in Colorado following what appears to be a horrific antisemitic attack”.Hakeem Jeffries described the incident as targeting “the Jewish community in America” and called it an “unconscionable act of terror”. The House Democratic leader posted on X: “As residents of Boulder gathered on the eve of the holiday of Shavuot to raise awareness for the hostages still being held captive in Gaza, the peacefulness of their assembly was shattered.”Many of Colorado’s politicians denounced the attack. Jason Crow, a Democratic representative, characterized the attack as “targeted political violence at the Jewish community meant to spread fear”, adding: “Antisemitism is real. Sadly, it’s on the rise in America.”Another Colorado representative, Lauren Boebert, linked the attack to broader pro-Palestine rhetoric, saying: “When progressives allow and encourage hate speech toward Jews for their mere existence, people get hurt.” She called for the incident to be investigated “as an act of targeted terrorism”.Michael Bennet, Colorado’s Democratic senator, said he and his wife were “praying for the victims of today’s horrific antisemitic attack against Coloradans marching peacefully in support of the hostages Hamas has held in Gaza for over 600 days”.Joe Neguse, a representative of Colorado, said the attack demonstrated how “the scourge of antisemitism has metastasized across our country”, calling for more to “stop this violence”.The attack took place on the Pearl Street Mall, close to the University of Colorado, on Sunday afternoon. Four women and four men, aged between 52 and 88, were transported to hospitals with injuries ranging from minor to “very serious”, according to Boulder police.CNN, citing law enforcement officials, reported that Soliman arrived in the US in August 2022 as a non-immigrant visitor. It reported that the officials said he was granted a work authorization in March 2023, which expired at the end of March this year, more than two months into Trump’s presidency.Soliman had previously applied for asylum in the US, CNN reported. He was denied a visa to enter the country in 2005.Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, described Soliman as “an illegal alien” who had been “granted a tourist visa by the Biden administration” before overstaying.The Boulder attack is the latest in a series of violent incidents in the US since the outset of the Israel-Gaza war. On 21 May, a shooter killed two Israeli embassy employees in Washington after attending an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee. Pro-Palestinian protesters have also been targeted, most notably at UCLA in April 2024 when counter-protesters attacked demonstrators with pepper spray, sticks and fireworks, injuring at least 15-16 people and requiring some hospitalizations. In December 2023, a man fired at three Palestinian students while they were walking down the street near their university in Vermont and wearing keffiyehs, with two sustaining injuries and one now paralyzed from the waist down.Officials said there was no indication that Sunday’s attack was associated with any organized group. Soliman has been booked into Boulder county jail and has a hearing scheduled for Monday afternoon.In their latest annual reports, the Anti-Defamation League says it has tabulated 9,354 antisemitic incidents over the last year, while the Council on American-Islamic Relations says it counted 8,658 complaints in the same span. Both organizations say it is the highest number of incidents in their respective histories. More
