Boelter Faces 6 Federal Charges in Lawmakers’ Shootings

MINNEAPOLIS (WJON News) -- Minnesota’s U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson has revealed that fifty-seven-year-old Vance Boelter, the man accused of killing Representative Melissa Hortman, her husband Mark, and gravely shooting and injuring Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, actually visited two other state politicians homes on Saturday, and had forty-five names of Minnesota leaders on his list.

“It is no exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmares. Boelter stalked his victims like prey. He went to their homes, held out as a police officer, and shot them in cold blood.”

Thompson says Boelter faces six federal charges: two counts of stalking, two counts of murder, and two counts for shooting and injuring people.

He says the death penalty is on the table.

Hennepin County Mary Moriarty says her office will pursue a first-degree murder indictment against Boelter. If convicted, Boelter would face a life sentence without a chance for parole.

Moriarty says they are now focused on building their case against Boelter:

We will be reviewing all of the evidence from law enforcement as it comes in and working with our law enforcement partners to develop the case. I do want people to know that, given the scale of this investigation, the review of evidence will take time.

Boelter makes his first court appearance today at 1:30 p.m.