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The Minnesota man accused of killing a lawmaker and her spouse, and injuring another lawmaker and his wife while posing as a police officer, had a substantial background in security. This raises concerns about his ability to access weapons and police uniforms in what is being described by authorities as a “targeted” attack.
Vance Luther Boelter, 57, is charged with the murders of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and the shooting of state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in separate incidents early Saturday morning.
Boelter allegedly showed up at the homes of both lawmakers dressed in attire resembling a law enforcement uniform, driving a black SUV equipped with flashing emergency lights and a license plate that said “police.”
“Boelter wore a black tactical vest and body armor. He carried a flashlight and a Beretta 9 mm handgun,” Thompson said. He also wore a hyper-realistic silicon mask. Senator Hoffman had a security camera. I’ve seen the footage from that camera, and it is chilling. Boelter knocked on Senator Hoffman’s front door, and repeatedly shouted, ‘This is police. Open the door.'” (DOJ)
However, Stanton pointed to the improbability of an individual going to the lengths of impersonating a police officer to commit a crime, suggesting Boelter allegedly did so because of his high-profile targets.
“The odds of someone perpetuating themselves as a false cop are so rare [that] the odds are much greater that you’re going to get straight up mugged, robbed or burglarized,” Stanton said, adding, “The fact that this was politically motivated and someone went to such obsessive means to achieve their end, that’s why this isn’t an everyday occurrence.”
While the odds of being approached by a fake officer are lower than being victimized by other crimes, Stanton stresses that there are ways to stay safe if an individual appears suspicious, such as calling the police to confirm an officer’s identity before engaging or driving to a police station while being pulled over.
“We see videos of thugs trying to kick in the door with a mask or a hoodie on,” Stanton said. “That’s what’s going to happen a lot sooner than someone identifying themselves as a cop. So be prepared, not scared, and have your situational awareness of security.”
Boelter is charged with two counts of stalking, two counts of murder and two counts of firearm-related crimes in federal court. He is also facing second-degree murder charges on the state level.
