Minnesota shooting: Cop's intuition may have stopped violent rampage
Share this @internewscast.com


() A police officer’s gut instinct to check on a lawmaker may have prevented additional deaths during a deadly shooting spree that left a Minnesota legislator and a spouse dead, authorities said Monday.

Vance Boelter, 57, faces federal and state charges in the Saturday attacks that killed state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband in Brooklyn Park. State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife survived critical injuries after being shot at their Champlin home earlier that morning.

The violence began around 2 a.m. Saturday, when Boelter, wearing a silicone mask and posing as a police officer, shot the Hoffmans at their front door after demanding entry. He then traveled to homes of other Democratic lawmakers, ringing doorbells and claiming to be police.

At 3:30 a.m., Brooklyn Park officers conducting welfare checks arrived at Hortman’s residence just as Boelter began his assault. The suspect immediately opened fire before entering the home and killing Hortman, her husband and their dog, then fleeing on foot.

“There’s absolutely no question that the work of those officers did stop what could have been a far worse night,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said on ‘s “Elizabeth Vargas Reports.”

Court documents reveal Boelter had stalked multiple Democratic officials, using websites to obtain personal information and addresses. He researched lawmakers’ homes, purchased police equipment including fake license plates and carried notebooks containing dozens of names of elected officials and abortion rights activists.

Authorities recovered five weapons, large amounts of ammunition, tactical gear and targeting notes from Boelter’s abandoned SUV. The suspect was captured Sunday evening after a 43-hour manhunt that officials called the largest in Minnesota history.

Federal prosecutors described the attacks as political assassinations that were intended to be part of a larger killing spree targeting Democratic politicians.

‘s Stephanie Whiteside contributed to this report.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Texas Floods: Approximately 70 Wild Animals Saved Following Storms

AUSTIN (KXAN)– Austin Wildlife Rescue said it has rescued around 70 animals…

Osceola County Sheriff’s Suspended Wife Released on Bail

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – Robin Severance Lopez was released from the Lake…

Minnesota State Senator Injured in Fatal Political Shootings Leaves Intensive Care

The Minnesota state senator, who, alongside his wife, was one of the…

IRS States Pastors Supporting Political Candidates Can Maintain Tax-Exempt Status

WASHINGTON – The IRS says pastors who endorse political candidates from the…

Villagers don masks amidst volcanic ash from erupting Indonesian volcano

MAUMERE – Residents donned masks to shield themselves from the dense volcanic…

Augusta Tech and Columbia County Fire Rescue Introduce New Firefighter Degree Program

COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga. () – Augusta Technical College has teamed up with…

Iowa Mother Commemorates Late Daughter by Establishing Non-Profit to Empower Teen Girls

DES MOINES, Iowa — Ema Cardenas was walking home from school when…

Medicaid Reductions May Shape Midterm Elections

Medicaid is set to become a key issue in the battle over…

‘Heartbreaking Task: Volunteers Comb Texas Flood Debris for Missing Persons’

CENTER POINT, Texas (KXAN) — While local, state and federal assets have…

Key Insights on the Possible Agreement to Maintain TikTok’s Presence in the US

Less than a month after extending a deadline to ban TikTok for…

Former Richmond County Teacher Arrested for Alleged Possession of Explicit Photos of Children

COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga. – A former teacher from Richmond County has been…

Search and Rescue Teams Hunt for Survivors in Texas Floods as Death Count Rises

Not sure how to find on your TV? Find your channel here. …