Minnesota Lawmaker Shooting Suspect Identified as Evangelical Security Contractor with Apparent Political Motive
A manhunt is underway for 57-year-old Vance Boelter, who is accused of posing as a police officer and carrying out a deadly attack targeting prominent Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota on Saturday. According to investigators and multiple media reports, Boelter fatally shot State House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband at their home, and later wounded State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, who are now recovering after surgery. Authorities describe the incident as a likely politically motivated assassination.
Boelter worked for Praetorian Guard Security Services, a private firm registered to his home address. The company, according to archived website content, offered “random armed patrols” using Ford Explorer SUVs outfitted with police-style lights and gear, closely resembling actual law enforcement vehicles. Officials say such access likely helped him impersonate a police officer, allowing him to approach the lawmakers’ homes without raising alarm.
Investigative sources say Boelter left behind a “target list” in his vehicle, containing the names of several Democratic politicians and abortion rights advocates, including Rep. Ilhan Omar, Sen. Tina Smith, and various Planned Parenthood officials. Authorities also discovered flyers referencing anti-Trump protests, raising fears that Boelter may have planned to target both sides of the political spectrum, despite his conservative leanings.
A former associate, David Carlson, described Boelter as a devout evangelical Christian and longtime abortion opponent, though not someone who outwardly expressed violent tendencies. “He wasn’t a hateful person,” Carlson told reporters. “But he needed help.” Carlson added that Boelter had recently been under intense financial strain, possibly due to frequent missionary trips to Africa, where he had been known to preach.
Boelter’s religious activity was prolific, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where he gave sermons criticizing modern Western culture, particularly on issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. In a 2023 speech at a Pentecostal church in eastern DRC, he remarked, “In America, people don’t even know what sex they are. The enemy has gotten into their mind and soul.”
Though he publicly identified as a Christian missionary and founded a nonprofit organization, Revoformation Ministries, Boelter did not often share overt political content on social media. However, media reviews of his speeches and writings reflect a conservative worldview, deep religious convictions, and concern over perceived cultural decline in the United States.
Boelter also served on Minnesota’s Workforce Development Board, appointed by Gov. Walz in 2019, a nonpartisan group of business leaders advising the state. While his role on the board appeared apolitical, it may have brought him into limited contact with Senator Hoffman, one of the shooting victims, though authorities say the extent of their relationship remains unclear.
Carlson, Boelter’s friend, said the suspect had recently left several jobs in order to travel for church work abroad and struggled to find stable employment upon his return. He had also briefly worked at a funeral home but was living intermittently at Carlson’s Minneapolis residence despite owning a property in the small town of Green Isle, about an hour west of the city.
On the morning of the attack, state officials reported seeing a vehicle with flashing police-style lights outside Rep. Hortman’s residence and a man dressed as an officer. When police approached, the suspect opened fire, fled the scene, and managed to evade capture.
Inside the car Boelter left behind was an apparent “kill list” of political figures, with early evidence pointing to targeted political intent. Surveillance and witness reports indicated that he used a black Ford Explorer equipped with emergency lighting—similar to the vehicle seen at the scene—and consistent with vehicles listed on his company’s website.
Boelter also claimed extensive experience in international security. Archived versions of his company’s webpage described him as having worked in conflict zones across Eastern Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, including the West Bank, Gaza, and Southern Lebanon. His résumé also included employment at major food companies like Nestlé and 7-Eleven, as well as advanced academic degrees—though none of these credentials have been independently verified.
Despite no prior criminal record beyond traffic violations, Boelter’s access to tactical equipment, law enforcement-style vehicles, and ties to high-profile political targets raise alarming questions about radicalization, political violence, and security vulnerabilities.
Pastor McNay Nkashama, who worked with Boelter during his preaching trips to Africa, expressed disbelief over the allegations. “He would not hurt a fly,” Nkashama said. “I just cannot believe it.”
Investigators are continuing to explore Boelter’s relationships, past activities, and mental state in the lead-up to the shooting. While friends and acquaintances describe a complex man driven by faith and facing financial hardship, officials caution that the exact motive behind the brutal attack is still under review.
