The suspect who murdered a Minnesota Democratic lawmaker and injured another is a Donald Trump voter who hates abortion.
A manhunt was under way on Saturday for Vance Luther Boelter, 57, who police said assassinated Minnesota Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and shot state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in their respective homes early Saturday morning.
Police say Boelter gained entry into the lawmakers’ homes by impersonating a police officer.
After misinformation spread online about Boelter’s political affiliation, his best friend David Carlson, who has known Boelter since fourth grade, told media outlets that he is anti-abortion, a Christian and voted for Donald Trump, according to Reuters.
Officials say Brooklyn Park police arrived at Hortman’s home around 3:35 a.m. and found a police SUV with emergency lights on. Boelter then exited Hortman’s home and exchanged gunfire with officers before fleeing on foot.
Investigators found an extensive list of possible targets among writings in Boelter’s vehicle. Among the names on the list were prominent Minnesota Democrats including Gov. Tim Walz, Rep. Ilhan Omar and Keith Ellison. The list also included abortion rights advocates and abortion facilities.
Carlson, 59, said he has been sharing a house with Boelter in Minneapolis for more than a year because it was closer to Boelter’s new job. The last time Carlson said he saw him was on Friday night.
He received a text from Boelter about 6 a.m. on Saturday saying “he [Boelter] might be dead soon.”
Police are still investigating possible motives for the shootings.
