Authorities are looking for Vance Luther Boelter, a 57 -year -old white man; He must be considered ‘armed and dangerous’
Police are looking for the suspect of the murder of a state democratic parliamentarian in Minnesota and the serious injury of another, in apparently attacks with political motivation, according to the governor of this state of the North. Saturday’s attacks (14) occurred on the same day that the Republican President, who turned 79, organized the largest military parade in the United States in decades, amid national protests against his immigration policy and after a week marked by sending troops to Los Angeles, the epicenter of these demonstrations.
The state congressman, former president of the Minnesota Chamber of Representatives, and her husband, Mark, were murdered on Saturday at her home in Brooklyn Park, a suburb of Minneapolis, after a shot at neighboring Champlin, in which state senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were injured, the Democratic Governor Tim Walz said at a press conference.
Police identified Vance Luther Boelter, a 57 -year -old white man, as the main suspect, sought by hundreds of police in the suburbs north of Minneapolis. He should be considered “armed and dangerous,” said Drew Evans, head of the Minnesota Research Department, which investigates the attacker’s motivations and if there are others involved.
Boelter was seen on Saturday morning in the Minneapolis region and “wore a clear cowboy hat,” added Evans. Trump and US Attorney General Pam Bondi condemned the incident and ensured that those responsible will face “the entire length of the law.” The FBI offered a reward of up to $ 50,000 for information leading to Boelter capture.
Disguised as a police officer
Walz called the attacks “an act of directed political violence.” The governor, a former deputy partner of the Democratic Party with former Vice-President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election won by Trump, announced in the X that the Minnesota flags will be raised half a mast in honor of Hortman. Evans said the state senator, who is “in a stable state”, and his wife were shot 90 minutes before the attack on the congressman and her husband.
The suspect, who fled on foot after an exchange of fire with the police near the residence of Hortman, according to the authorities, left in his car pamphlets for the Anti-Trump protests “no Kings”, as well as a manifesto listed several politicians and authorities, including Hortman and Hoffman. Residential Security Company Praetorian Guards Security Services described Boelter on its site as its director of safety patrols.
Authorities believe that the perpetrator passed a police officer. In an image released by the FBI, he is seen using what appears to be a latex mask, possibly to avoid being identified.
David Carlson, Boelter’s roommate, told local television station Kare that he received a text message from him stating that he would be absent for a while and could die soon. Authorities recommended to avoid political manifestations in Minnesota “by precaution”. However, images transmitted by local broadcasters showed a crowd gathered in St. Paul, state capital, in a protest in honor of Hortman. “Melissa proved that it is possible to be a politician and be a good person,” said Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison in a speech at the event.
‘Credible threat’
Amid increasing tensions across the country, Texas authorities reported that they evacuated the state capitol complex after a “credible threat” to parliamentarians planning to participate in a protest. In Brooklyn Park, where Hortman lived, the authorities suspended the order of confinement, claiming that there was reason to believe that the aggressor was no longer in the region.
The United States has been deeply divided since Trump returned to the White House in January. The Republican President has been criticized by Democrats for their harsh immigration policies, their attacks on universities and the media, and the perception that they violate presidential powers.
Former American grassist Gabby Giffords, who survived a head shot in 2011, said he was “devastated” with Hortman’s death. “We must protect our democracy from those who would destroy it with a weapon,” wrote Giffords on X.
*With information from AFP
Posted by Nátaly Tenório
