Authorities still searching for suspect in shooting of 2 Minnesota state lawmakers
A huge search operation extended to his second day on Sunday for a man saying the authorities who said a mask and put forward as a police officer while shooting deputies in the democratic state at her home in the suburb of Minneapolis, the governor of the state, Tim and Al -Zouz, called a “political assassination”. The authorities said that the suspect shot and wounded the second legislator and was trying to escape from the area.
Former House President Melissa Hortmann and her husband, Mark, were killed at their home in Brooklyn Park early on Saturday. Senator John Hoffman, who is also a democratic, and his wife, Evit, was injured in the title of Champlin, about 9 miles (about 15 km).
The suspected authorities have set the 57 -year -old Vans Potter, and the FBI issued a bonus of $ 50,000 for information that leads to his arrest and conviction. They shared a photo taken on Saturday from Poilter wearing a cow’s Tan hat and asked the audience to report the viewer. Hundreds of law enforcement officers set out to search for the suspect.
American Senator Amy Klopochar of Minnesota said on Sunday that the authorities believed that the shooter did not go far.
“We think it is somewhere in the vicinity and that they will find it,” Democrat said on Sunday. “But at the present time, everyone is ready here, because we know that this man will be killed in the second.”
The authorities have not given any details of the potential motivation.
Boelter is a former politician who has served in the same state’s workforce development
The attacks prompted warnings to elected state officials and the abolition of the “No Kings” demonstrations against President Donald Trump, despite the advancement of any case, including one of the tens of thousands to the Capitol building in Saint -Paul. The authorities said that the suspect has “no kings” for the pamphlets in his car and the writings of mentioning the names of the victims, as well as legislators and other officials, although they were unable to say whether he had any other specific goals.
AP officials said that the writings of the suspect also included information targeting prominent legislators who were honest in favor of abortion rights. The official spoke on the condition that his identity is not disclosed because the investigation is continuing.
A person familiar with the AP issue said, and it was armed with law enforcement agents many AK firearms from the suspect’s vehicle, and he believed that he was still armed with a pistol. The person could not discuss the details of the investigation publicly and spoke, provided that his identity was not disclosed.
The shootings occurred at a time when political leaders throughout the country were attacked, harassed and intimidated amid deep political divisions.
“We must all, in Minnesota and all over the country, should stand against all forms of political violence,” said Walz, a democratic. Flying media also ordered half of employees in honor of Hortman.
“It will not be tolerated with such horrific violence in the United States of America. God bless in Minnesota, a really great place!” President Donald Trump said in a statement.
Shooting
Police responded to reports of fire at Hoffman’s house shortly after 2 in the morning, and the Champlin police found that the couple was multiplely injured.
After seeing the victims, the police sent officers to proactively verify Hortman’s house. There they faced what seemed to be a police car and a man wearing an officer at the door, and left the house.
“When the officers faced him, the individual immediately shot the officers who exchanged fire, the suspect retreated to the house,” said Brooklyn Park Park.
The authorities believe that the shooter was wearing a mask when carrying out the attacks, according to the law enforcement official. The FBI released pictures of the suspect, including a picture that appears to show him wearing a mask that covered his face and head, and an official police, and holds a manual lamp.
Multiple bullet holes can be seen in the front door of the Hoffmann house.
John Wivit Hoffman has undergone surgery, according to Lalz.
Two Democrats target
Hortmann, 55, has been a better democratic leader in the State Council since 2017. She led the Democrats in a three -week seizure session at the beginning of this year’s session in a power struggle with Republicans. According to the power -sharing agreement, it turned the clothing to Republican Lisa Demouth and took the chair president Emerita.
Hortman was used as a spokesperson for the expanded hero for abortion rights, including legislation to unify the Menisota status as a shelter for patients from restricted countries traveling to the state to request abortion – to protect the service providers who serve them.
Walz described it as “a huge government employee, a match and a giant in Minnesota.”
Hortman and her husband had two adult children.
Initial autopsy reports from the Henipen Medical County Office gave the issue of death as “multiple wounds of firearms.”
Reports stated that Melissa Hortmann died at the scene of the accident, while her husband announced his death in the hospital.
Hoffman, 60, was elected for the first time in 2012 and was head of the Senate Humanitarian Services Committee, which oversees one of the largest parts of the state budget. He and his wife have one daughter.
Suspect
Boelter was appointed to the Workforce Development Council in 2016 and then was reassured in 2019 to a period of four years that ended in 2023, the state records appear.
Corporate records show that Boelter’s wife was presented to create a company called Praetorian Guard Security Services LLC with the same green mail address on the island listed for the couple. Boelter’s wife was listed as president and executive president, and he is listed on the list as director of security patrols on the company’s website.
The site says that the company provides armed security for property and events and is characterized by a picture of the four -wheel drive vehicles drawn with a black style and two tones similar to the police car. Another image shows a man wearing black tactical equipment with a military -style helmet and a ballistic jacket.
The online biography says that Potler is a security contractor in the Middle East and Africa, as well as previous administrative roles in companies in Minnesota.
At approximately 6 am, Boelter mentioned a text message to her friends to say that he had “made some options,” according to the Minnesota Star Tribune team.
In the letters, read to reporters by David Karlson, Potler did not specify what he did but said: “I will go for a while. I may be dead soon, so I just want to tell you that I love you both comrades and I hope it will be so.
Political violence
Klobuchar condemned online threats and urged people on Sunday to think twice before publishing accusations or motives on the Internet.
Talking about Hortmann CNN, Klopochar said: “This is a person who did everything for the right reasons.
“Regardless of the political parties, look at their face before sending your next message,” said Kloposhar.
Minnesota House Lisa Demouth, a Republic of Cold Spring, described the attack as “evil” and said she was “sad behind words” because of the killings.
Fires are the latest in a series of attacks against lawmakers.
In April, the suspect set fire to the home of the governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, forcing him and his family to flee during the Jewish Easter. The suspect said that he intends to overcome Shapiro with a small heavy hammer if he finds it, according to court documents.
In July 2024, Trump was grazed on the ear by one of the bullets that killed the Trump supporter. Two months later, a man with a rifle was discovered near the President’s Golf Stadium and arrested.
Other incidents include an attack on the 2022 hammer on the husband of the then Speaker of parliament Nancy Pelosi at their home in San Francisco and the 2020 plot by anti -government extremists to kidnap the governor of Democrat Grechen and pass and start a civil war.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said he had asked the Capitol police to “increase security” immediately for the American Jlloush and Senator Tina Smith. He also asked the majority leader John Thun, a Republican, to comment on the security of the members.
Speaking on Sunday on the “internal owner’s policy” of the CNN, Smith said that she personally felt safe and thoughtful security details that have become the base unlikely.
“But I think we are at a turning point now when we see these types of personal threats. It is getting worse, not better,” she said. “I don’t want to think I need to have personal safety details wherever I go.”
This story was originally shown on Fortune.com
2025-06-15 15:18:00
