By Nathan Layne
NEW HOPE, Minnesota (Reuters) – Vance Boelter’s disguise was not flawless. The silicone mask was slightly loose, and his SUV’s license plate simply displayed “POLICE” in black letters. However, it was sufficient on a dimly lit suburban street in the late hours of the night.
At 2:36 a.m. on Saturday, 30 minutes after authorities claim Boelter shot and severely wounded Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, he parked the SUV near the home of another senator, Ann Rest, in New Hope. The vehicle was equipped with weapons, including AK-47 assault rifles, along with fliers promoting a local anti-Trump rally scheduled for later that Saturday and a list of names of individuals he seemed to be targeting. Senator Rest was one of those Boelter apparently intended to harm on June 14.
As Boelter sat in the parked SUV near Rest’s residence, another police car – a legitimate one this time – approached. A female officer from the New Hope police department, aware of the Hoffman shootings, had arrived to check on Rest. Observing the SUV with its flashing lights and police-like decals, she mistook the man inside for a colleague. However, when she tried to communicate with him, she received no response. Instead, the man within the SUV adorned with police insignia simply gazed straight ahead. The New Hope officer proceeded to check on Rest.
Rest later acknowledged that the New Hope officer’s prompt action likely saved her life, a sentiment echoed by New Hope Police Chief Timothy Hoyt. “With limited information, she went up there on her own to check on the welfare of our senator,” Hoyt remarked. “She did the right thing.”
The brief encounter in New Hope highlighted the well-thought-out nature of Boelter’s early morning assault and how his impersonation of a police officer, complete with body armor, a badge, and a tactical vest, thwarted initial efforts to apprehend him.
Following the encounter with the New Hope officer, Boelter, 57, departed the scene, proceeding to his next target. Authorities pursued him for 43 more hours, involving a multitude of state and federal agencies. This marked the most extensive manhunt in Minnesota history, further unsettling a nation already contending with demonstrations over immigration, the removal of a U.S. Senator from a press event, and an uncommon military parade in Washington.
Federal prosecutors are considering seeking the death penalty for Boelter, charged with killing two individuals and attempting to murder two others in what Governor Tim Walz labeled a “politically motivated” assault. Investigators are still probing the motive and possible accomplices. Boelter has yet to enter a plea. Manny Atwal, a public defender representing Boelter, mentioned that he is evaluating the case and declined to provide further comments.
This account of the manhunt is based on court filings, statements from law enforcement officials, and interviews with a friend of Boelter, local police
A police officer posing as an officer killed 22 people in Nova Scotia. “These individuals always conduct research in advance. They analyze how previous killers were successful and how they were caught,” stated Fitzgerald, who assisted the FBI in capturing the “Unabomber” Ted Kaczynski in 1996. “One method to gain time is by pretending to be a police officer.”
The violence started at the Hoffman’s home in Champlin, a suburban area of Minneapolis. Boelter, with his emergency lights on, arrived at their home around 2:00 a.m. and knocked on the door, yelling, “This is the police. Open the door,” according to an FBI affidavit.
Senator Hoffman and his wife realized that Boelter was not a real police officer. Boelter shot Senator Hoffman nine times and also fired at Yvette, who protected her daughter. The daughter called 911 as Boelter fled.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson stated that the Hoffmans were among over 45 federal and state elected officials in Minnesota who were targeted. Boelter, a Trump supporter and Christian who opposed abortion according to his roommate David Carlson, did not appear to be politically motivated.
Thompson mentioned that Boelter “stalked his victims like prey,” but his writings did not reveal a clear motive. “His crimes are terrifying,” Thompson added.
After the Hoffmans, Boelter’s GPS led him to a lawmaker in Maple Grove. Surveillance footage showed Boelter at the home of State Representative Kristin Bahner, where he demanded entry claiming to be the police. Bahner and her family were not present.
Boelter then proceeded to another location, where he engaged with police officers dispatched to the scene. He was not seen by authorities until he reached the home of Melissa Hortman, a leading Democrat in the state House. When officers arrived at her residence, they encountered Boelter, who fired at them before entering the house and fatally shooting the Hortmans.
Upon leaving the Hortman’s residence, Boelter abandoned his fake-police SUV. Inside the vehicle, authorities found weapons, anti-Trump rally flyers, and a list of potential targets.
Boelter was then on the run, with limited information on his whereabouts. He visited his part-time residence in north Minneapolis, sent texts to family and friends hinting at his possible demise, and arranged a transaction for an e-bike and a sedan before withdrawing funds from a bank.
A security camera captured Boelter wearing a cowboy hat, but law enforcement did not close in until 10:00 a.m. on Sunday. During a search near Boelter’s family home in the rural community of Green Isle, police found an abandoned Buick, a cowboy hat, and a handwritten letter to the FBI in which Boelter confessed to the shootings, according to prosecutors. Authorities swiftly established a perimeter, deployed SWAT teams, search dogs, and drones. A resident’s trail camera was crucial in providing the final clue when it captured an image of Boelter at 7:00 p.m., aiding officers in narrowing down the search. Two hours later, the pursuit concluded with Boelter surrendering to police, armed but offering no resistance. (Reporting by Nathan Layne and Tom Polansek in Minneapolis and Joseph Ax in New York; Editing by Paul Thomasch and Nick Zieminski)
