UMVA has learned that a Minnesota man named Vance Boelter has pleaded guilty to a deadly, politically motivated assault that targeted elected Democrats.
After an initial not‑guilty stance, Boelter switched his plea following a deal with federal prosecutors that spared him the death penalty.
The agreement calls for two consecutive life sentences and an additional 40 years, with a judge set to expedite sentencing before July’s end.
Last year, a federal grand jury charged Boelter with six counts, including stalking and murder with a firearm, tied to a series of shootings on June 14, 2025.
Investigators say Boelter masqueraded as a police officer, driving a fake squad car and wearing a hyper‑realistic silicone face mask, tactical vest, and body armor.
His first stop was the home of Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in Champlin, where both survived multiple gunshots.
Boelter then aimed for the residence of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in Brooklyn Park, where the couple was fatally shot.
During the attack, the couple’s golden retriever was critically wounded and later euthanized.
Boelter’s plan involved driving to two other state officials’ homes—none of whom were present—before reaching the Hortmans’ house.
A two‑day manhunt ended when officers found him crawling through a rural field.
Prosecutors have consistently described the attacks as politically driven, citing a handwritten letter from Boelter to the FBI Director in which he confessed to the shootings, though the letter offers little explanation for his chosen targets.
The violence sent shockwaves across Minnesota, prompting lawmakers to remove personal addresses from public sites and install security checkpoints at the state capitol.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the attacks have reshaped the state’s political culture, raising urgent questions about the future of political safety nationwide.
