10 hours ago
Last Updated:June 15, 2025, 09:18 IST
Vance Luther Boelter, 57, is wanted for killing Melissa Hortman's husband and injuring Sen. John Hoffman and his wife. The FBI offers a $50,000 reward for his arrest.
An FBI poster shows images of 57-year-old Vance Luther. (Reuters)
The suspect in the Minnesota shooting that killed a state lawmaker and injured another had ties to evangelical ministries and claimed online to be a security expert with experience in the Gaza Strip and Africa.
A manhunt was underway on Saturday for Vance Luther Boelter, 57, suspected of killing Democratic Minnesota state legislator Melissa Hortman’s husband and shooting State Senator John Hoffman and his wife.
According to the police, the suspect had been seen earlier on Saturday wearing a light colored cowboy hat, a dark colored long-sleeved collared shirt or coat with a dark bag. The FBI offered a reward of up to $50,000 for information that could lead to his arrest.
David Carlson, 59, who has been rooming with Vance Luther Boelter in Minneapolis for over a year, last saw him on Friday night. He received a text from Boelter around 6 a.m. on Saturday.
“He said that he might be dead soon," said Carlson, who called the police.
Carlson, a childhood friend of Boelter’s since fourth grade, said Boelter worked at an eye donation centre and stayed with him due to its proximity to his job. Carlson expressed feelings of betrayal and heartbreak for the victims, stating, “His family has got to suffer through this."
Vance Luther Boelter was appointed to the Governor’s Workforce Development Board in 2016, a panel that advises the Governor on Minnesota’s workforce system, as per state records and the board’s website.
Boelter has online profiles showing he runs a security company with ties to the Middle East and Africa. A resurfaced LinkedIn post of his urges people to “keep the United States in your prayers."
Boelter is wanted for several shootings, including the attempted murder of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife in Champlin, who were seriously injured. He then allegedly fatally shot former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband at their home, police sources told the New York Post.
Vance Luther Boelter evaded police custody after being cornered in former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman’s home, where he allegedly committed a crime, and is now at large. A manifesto and papers referencing the “No Kings" movement, linked to anti-Trump protests, were found in his possession.
Boelter, on LinkedIn, listed himself as the CEO of the Red Lion Group, based in the Democratic Republic of Congo. He worked with Minnesota Africans United, too, an organisation known for working with African immigrants in the state, a now-deleted biography on the group’s website showed.
His profile lists various jobs, including general manager at 7-Eleven from 2016 to 2021, and managerial roles at Del Monte, Johnsonville Sausage, and Greencore, a UK-based convenience food manufacturer.
Boelter was twice appointed to the Minnesota government by different Democratic governors. The suspect last registered to vote in 2022 as a Republican.
Location :United States of America (USA)
First Published:News world ‘I Might Be Dead...’: Minnesota Suspect Sent Haunting Text To Roommate Hours Before Shootout
