Vance Boelter Indicted On Federal Charges In Shooting Of Minn. Lawmakers

The man accused of shooting 2 Minnesota authorities lawmakers and their spouses connected June 14 was formally indicted by a expansive assemblage Tuesday, July 15. Vance Boelter, 57, is facing six criminal charges astatine nan national level.

Prosecutors person indicated that they mightiness activity nan decease punishment arsenic a imaginable reward if Boelter is convicted.

The expansive assemblage indictment includes nan pursuing charges:

1. Stalking of Melissa Hortman

2. Stalking of John Hoffman

3. Murder of Melissa Hortman done usage of a firearm

4. Murder of Mark Hortman done usage of a firearm

5. Shooting of Melissa and Mark Hortman

6. Shooting of John and Yvette Hoffman and nan attempted shooting of Hope Hoffman

Boelter is accused of murdering Melissa Hortman, erstwhile speaker of nan Minnesota House of Representatives, and her husband, Mark. In summation to nan murders, Boelter is besides accused of shooting John Hoffman, a existent Minnesota authorities senator, and his wife, Yvette. Hoffman and his woman survived nan attack.

If Boelter is convicted of stalking aliases shooting, he could walk life successful prison. If convicted of murder, he could look life successful situation aliases nan decease penalty.

Legal developments and nan decease penalty

At a news convention Tuesday afternoon, Joseph H. Thompson, acting U.S. Attorney for nan District of Minnesota, said Boelter’s indictment contains a “notice of typical findings,” which is nan first ineligible measurement successful seeking nan decease penalty. If Boelter is convicted of nan execution charges, nan announcement would service arsenic guidance to thief reason for an execution alternatively than a life sentence, CBS News reports.

Alleged claims successful letter

While updating nan nationalist connected Boelter’s indictment, Thompson revealed that Boelter had written a letter, which he hoped would beryllium delivered to FBI Director Kash Patel, claiming he received unofficial subject training and participated successful missions abroad.

Thompson besides said Boelter’s missive allegedly contains a declare that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz asked him to termination Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, some of Minnesota, and that Boelter was threatened pinch harm to his family if he revealed this declare to nan public.

Thompson called Boelter’s missive “a delusion.”

“Vance Boelter committed a unspeakable enactment of governmental unit and extremism — a targeted governmental assassination that was unprecedented successful nan authorities of Minnesota,” Thompson said Tuesday.