Vance Boelter faces federal charges after disturbing revelations about shootings in Minnesota surface: "Nightmare stuff"

"His crimes are the stuff of nightmares," Thompson said while outlining the "chilling" allegations during a press conference.

Democratic Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were killed by Vance Boelter, 57, who is also accused of injuring Democratic state senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette in "political killings," according to Thompson. Two other lawmakers were spared the night of the gunshots, officials said, but Boelter allegedly showed up at their doors in the middle of the night dressed as a police officer and wearing a mask that looked convincing.

According to officials, Boelter, who was taken into custody overnight close to his farm in Green Isle, Minnesota, is charged with first-degree murder at the state level and stalking and guns at the federal level.

Thompson claimed that Boelter's car included a list of forty-five public officials in notebooks along with guns.

Thompson claimed that he made notes while surveilling the houses of his victims. According to the affidavit, during a search of a north Minneapolis residence connected to Boelter, police found a list of public officials with the notation, "married Mark 2 children 11th term," beneath Melissa Hortman's name. The affidavit stated, "Big home off golf course 2 ways in to watch from one position," which was written next to Melissa Hortman's name in another notebook.

Thompson listed the four residences that Boelter allegedly visited on Saturday morning.

Thompson claimed that Boelter initially drove a black SUV with emergency lights on and the license plate reading "police" to Hoffman's residence in Champlin, Minnesota.

According to Thompson, Hoffman's "scary" security camera footage revealed the suspect wearing a "hyper-realistic silicon mask," body armor, and a black tactical vest. Boelter allegedly banged on the front door while brandishing a 9 mm Beretta revolver and a flashlight, yelling, "This is the police, open the door!" several times. Thompson stated.

According to Thompson, the suspect pointed a flashlight at Sen. Hoffman and his spouse as they approached the door, claimed that there had been a gunshot in the house, and inquired as to whether they were carrying any weapons.

"You are not a cop!" yelled the Hoffmans. Following Thompson's statement, the suspect declared "this is a robbery" and broke into the house.

According to Thompson, Boelter shot Sen. Hoffman and his wife as he attempted to force the suspect to leave the house.

According to Thompson, the Hoffmans' daughter dialed 911.

According to Thompson, Boelter allegedly drove to the Maple Grove home of a state representative at 2:24 a.m. Boelter fled the scene when Thompson said that the politician was not home since she and her family were on vacation.

According to Thompson, Boelter then allegedly drove to the New Hope residence of a state lawmaker and parked there.

According to Thompson, New Hope police sent an officer to the residence of the New Hope lawmaker at 2:36 a.m. after receiving information about the gunshot at Hoffman's residence. According to Thompson, the officer thought Boelter was an officer sent to the scene because she spotted her car parked down the block when she arrived.

According to Thompson, the officer drew up to Boelter, rolled down her window, and attempted to talk to him, but he ignored her and continued to look straight ahead. According to Thompson, Boelter had already left the area when the New Hope officer drove to the state senator's residence to wait for further law enforcement.

Officers proactively went to his fellow politician Melissa Hortman's house in the nearby town of Brooklyn Park, the former Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, after the Hoffmans were shot.

According to Thompson, two Brooklyn Park officers arrived to find Boelter standing in front of the house a few steps from the door and his SUV in the driveway with emergency lights flashing.

According to Thompson, Boelter allegedly opened fire upon seeing the officers and hurried into the house, murdering Hortman and her husband.

According to Thompson, Boelter fled into the house and out the rear after the Brooklyn Park officers opened fire on him as he allegedly hurried inside.

Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said the cops who engaged the suspect probably stopped future shootings.

According to law enforcement officials familiar with the case, the suspect's car outside the Hortmans' home contained a target list that included dozens of Minnesota Democrats, including Hoffman, Hortman, Gov. Tim Walz, U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, and U.S. Sen. Tina Smith.

According to authorities, the shootings set off a major two-day manhunt that involved 20 SWAT teams, helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Authorities claimed Boelter was armed when he was captured in a rural region late Sunday, but he was put into custody without any problems.

Wearing a two-piece orange jail outfit, orange socks, and black slides, Boelter, who is currently in federal custody, made a brief initial appearance in federal court on Monday. Boelter requested a public defender and stated that he has between $20,000 and $30,000 in bank accounts. June 27 was the date of his combined preliminary and detention hearing.

"It is unclear what the motive is," Thompson said.

According to court filings, Boelter allegedly traveled with an anonymous witness to a bank where he took out $2,200 in cash after attempting to purchase an electronic bike and a Buick in north Minneapolis at 7 a.m. after the attacks.

Boelter allegedly texted his family hours after the shootings, saying, "Dad went to battle last night... The affidavit states, "I do not want to say more because I do not want to implicate anybody."

"Words cannot express how sorry I am for this predicament... there will be some persons coming to the house loaded and trigger-happy and I do not want you guys around," Boelter allegedly wrote his wife as well.

The affidavit stated that two handguns, roughly $10,000 in cash, and passports for Boelter's wife and her children were found by police during a search of the couple's vehicle.