A notebook found in the vehicle of Vance Luther Boelter, 57, the suspect in the Saturday shootings of two Minnesota Democratic lawmakers and their spouses, revealed a “hit list” targeting at least 45 Democratic officials and abortion rights advocates.
Boelter, arrested Sunday night after a two-day manhunt, faces state and federal charges, including murder and attempted murder, for killing state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and wounding state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.
The list, described by Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans as not a “traditional manifesto,” included prominent Democrats such as Gov. Tim Walz, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, and former Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman.
It also named Planned Parenthood members, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, and healthcare centers in Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska providing abortion services.
“I don’t want the public to have the impression that there’s this long manifesto that’s providing all of this information and details,” Evans said, per Fox 9 KMSP. He clarified that the notebook focused primarily on names and “No Kings” flyers linked to anti-Trump protests.
Boelter, disguised as a police officer with a realistic silicone mask, black tactical vest, and a 9mm handgun, allegedly visited four lawmakers’ homes, starting with the Hoffmans in Champlin around 2 a.m., where both were shot multiple times.
Yvette Hoffman said in a post on social media, “He took 9 bullet hits. I took 8 and we are both incredibly lucky to be alive.”
At 3:35 a.m., police encountered Boelter at Hortman’s Brooklyn Park home, where they saw him fire shots into the home and then enter to fire more shots. The suspect then fled on foot.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson called the attacks “a political assassination” and “a chilling attack on our democracy.”
The manhunt, described by Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley as the largest in state history, ended with Boelter’s arrest in a Sibley County field near Green Isle.
“This was a targeted attack against individuals who answered the call to public service,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin Winston.
Authorities found “voluminous writings” suggesting months of planning, though no motive has been confirmed.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty intends to pursue first-degree murder charges, while federal charges, including stalking, could carry the death penalty. Gov. Walz called the shootings “an act of targeted political violence,” urging civility. A memorial for Hortman, a former House Speaker, grew at the state Capitol as lawmakers expressed safety concerns.