Who Is Vance Boelter, Alleged Gunman In Minnesota Assassination, And What’s His Political Affiliation?

Vance Luther Boelter, the suspect accused of carrying out a deadly attack on state senators and lawmakers on Saturday, allegedly had a long list of Minnesota Democrats he was targeting.

Law enforcement sources told ABC News that Boelter’s list, which was found in his car, included Gov. Tim Walz, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith and state attorney general Keith Ellison. The shooter also named abortion providers and pro-choice activists on his list, per ABC News.

What happened on Saturday when Vance Luther Boelter allegedly carried out the attack?

Boelter allegedly carried out the attacks around 2 a.m. on Saturday, targeting the homes of State Rep. Melissa Hortman and State Sen. John Hofmann. Police said the gunman first went to the home of Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in Champlin, Minnesota and shot them both multiple times. Hofmann was wounded in the shooting, according to police.

After responding to the shooting at Hoffmann’s home, police went to the nearby town of Brooklyn Park to check on on Hortman, who was also on the suspect’s list. Officers said that’s when they saw the shooter exiting Hortman’s house while he was dressed as a police officer. After exchanging gunfire with officers, the suspect escaped on foot, police said. Hortman and her husband were killed in the shooting at the house.

Who is Vance Luther Boelter?

According to his bio, Boelter spent part of his career working for a private security firm. Per ABC News, the bio states that Boelter was “involved with security situations in Eastern Europe, Africa, North America and the Middle East, including the West Bank, Southern Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.”

What is his political affiliation

While he’s exact political affiliation is unknown, in 2016, Boelter transitioned to politics, becoming appointed to the Minnesota Governor’s Workforce Development Board, which analyzes and recommends policy to the governor. After working for then-Gov. Mark Dayton, Boelter was reappointed by Gov. Tim Waltz in 2019.