Minnesota police were lauded for thwarting a potential mass shooting after suspect Vance Boelter, who allegedly killed state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, was intercepted by officers before he could execute his attack plan. The intervention by Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley and his team likely saved multiple lives, according to the chief.
The incident unfolded on Saturday when Brule, said an off-duty sergeant received a call about a shooting at Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman’s home and dispatched officers to check on the home of Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman. Upon arrival, officers found Boelter’s car in the driveway. ‘Had they not foiled the plan, you know, essentially took his vehicle away from him, which involved all his maps, all his names, all his weaponry. I would be very scared what it would look like over the next few hours that had we not done that,’ Bruley said during a media conference where federal charges were announced against Boelter. Boelter, who allegedly fled on foot, was the subject of a two-day manhunt that concluded with his arrest. He is accused of killing Hortman and her husband Mark, and shooting Hoffman and his wife Yvette in separate incidents early Saturday morning. Boelter arrived at both lawmakers’ homes dressed in a law enforcement-like uniform and driving a black SUV with flashing emergency lights and a license plate that read “police.”
Boelter is facing federal charges of stalking, murder, and firearm-related crimes, as well as second-degree murder charges in Hennepin County. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has announced its intention to file first-degree murder charges against the suspect. The arrest and subsequent charges have sparked widespread discussions on gun control and police response in the wake of the attack.