US prosecutors on Sunday revealed new details in the recent Minnesota shooting case, stating that the suspect, Vance Boelter, had planned the attack for an extended period. According to a federal affidavit cited by Reuters in its report, the notebooks recovered from Boelter’s vehicle and the residence indicated that he had been tracking more than 45 elected officials. These officials included ‘mostly or all Democrats,’ with some entries including home addresses.
According to the FBI affidavit cited by Reuters, Boelter used multiple people-finding websites to locate the ‘ personal addresses of his targets.
The investigators found an entry in the handwritten notes referencing the Hortman family. Boelter, in the notebook entry, had listed that the family had two children and included surveillance-style observations about their residence. According to the affidavit, one note described their home as a “Big house off the golf course” and added that there were “2 ways in to watch from one spot.”
Also Read: Who Are Democratic Lawmakers John Hoffman And Melissa Hortman Shot In Targeted Attack?
As police launched a manhunt after the shooting, Boelter attempted to escape. Prosecutors say he initially offered to buy a person’s electric bicycle at Minneapolis bus stop. When they later arrived at the individual’s home, Boelter instead offered to purchase a Buick.
That same Buick was located by investigators on Sunday in rural Sibley County which is near Boelter’s listed home address. Authorities discovered a handwritten letter addressed to the FBI inside his, in which Boelter identified himself & confessed to carrying out the shootings, the FBI affidavit stated.
According to the reports citing officials, the search for Boelter involved more than 20 SWAT teams and was supported by surveillance aircraft. Boelter—armed at the time, eventually emerged from a wooded area and surrendered to officers in an open field. No shots were fired during his arrest.
Before Boelter shot to democrats and their spouses, America in recent months witnessed various politically motivated attacks. These include the the 2022 assault on Paul Pelosi, husband of former Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; an attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump last year; and an arson attack at Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence in April.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz condemned the escalating political violence and said “this cannot be the norm. It cannot be the way that we deal with our political differences,” Walz said.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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