Crime
Minnesota Shooter Vance Boelter Texted Roommates: “I Made Some Bad Decisions, May Be Dead Soon”
New details are emerging about Vance Luther Boelter, the 57-year-old suspect accused of carrying out a deadly shooting spree that claimed the lives of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, and left State Senator John Hoffman and his wife wounded.
Conversations with Boelter’s longtime roommates in Minneapolis have revealed personal struggles, concerning behavior, and early signs of distress in the days leading up to the attacks.
Boelter, who split time between a residence in Green Isle and a rented room at a home on Fremont Avenue North, reportedly sent a chilling message to his housemates just hours before the attacks.
According to his roommate, David Carlson, Boelter texted both him and another roommate, Ron Ramsey, at approximately 6:17 a.m. Saturday.
Carlson, visibly emotional, read the message aloud to reporters:
“David and Ron, I love you guys. I made some choices, and you guys don’t know anything about this, but I’m going to be gone for a while. May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn’t gone this way. I don’t want to say anything more and implicate you in any way because you guys don’t know anything about this. But I love you guys and I’m sorry for all the trouble this has caused.”
Carlson, 59, said he has known Boelter since the fourth grade and described him as a close friend.
The two had lived together in the Fremont Avenue home for about two years. Carlson said Boelter stayed there once or twice a week to be closer to his job.
“He was just the nicest guy,” Carlson said through tears. “I can’t believe this has all happened.”
Carlson added that Boelter had recently expressed affection and gratitude, paying four months’ rent in advance and telling him he was his best friend.
Authorities were called to the home later that afternoon, where they forcibly entered the residence.
The front door had been destroyed, windows shattered, and tire tracks—believed to be from an armored police vehicle—were visible on the lawn. Boelter was not found at the location.
Officers also towed a black SUV from the alleyway behind the property.
The vehicle bore a Minnesota license plate but lacked any external police emergency lighting, unlike the marked-style vehicle believed to have been used by the suspect during the attack on Representative Hortman’s home in Brooklyn Park.
Carlson told investigators that Boelter had acquired squad-style vehicles in preparation for launching a private security business. He noted, however, that the company never fully materialized and described Boelter as having been under increasing financial strain.
The emotional revelations from Boelter’s roommates are adding another layer to a complex investigation that has already unearthed a list of additional potential targets, including high-profile political leaders and abortion rights advocates.
The suspect, 57-year-old Boelter, remains at large as a statewide manhunt continues.
Law enforcement officials have confirmed that a manifesto and a target list were recovered from one of Boelter’s vehicles.
The list included prominent Democratic officials such as Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar, U.S. Senator Tina Smith, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. Representative Melissa Hortman and Senator John Hoffman — the known victims of the shootings — were also named.
The document further referenced abortion providers and pro-choice advocates, indicating that Boelter’s actions may have been ideologically motivated, at least in part.
During a press conference, Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley emphasized the seriousness of the threat posed by Boelter, calling the recovered manifesto “deeply concerning.”
He confirmed that Boelter had been impersonating a law enforcement officer at the time of the attacks. Authorities believe he wore a realistic latex mask during the shootings and drove a vehicle outfitted to resemble a police cruiser.
Boelter, who had previously been appointed to the Governor’s Workforce Development Council under both Gov. Mark Dayton (2016) and Gov.
Tim Walz (2019), has no known criminal record. He remains at large following a shootout with officers in Brooklyn Park, where he fled on foot.
In a recent statement, Governor Walz confirmed the deaths of Representative Hortman and her husband and extended his condolences to their family.
He also noted that Senator Hoffman and his wife Yvette are currently recovering from their injuries.
Authorities continue to search for Boelter and have issued a shelter-in-place advisory for areas surrounding the Edinburgh Golf Course in Brooklyn Park.
Law enforcement urges residents not to open their doors to individuals claiming to be officers unless their identity is verified through 911.
Boelter is considered armed and extremely dangerous.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to contact authorities immediately.
Crime
16-year-old Khyon Smith-Tate found shot to death inside Chipotle bathroom on edge of Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA — A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot inside the bathroom of a Chipotle restaurant near Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia on Monday afternoon, police said, as students and staff returned for the first day of the Spring 2026 semester.
The shooting occurred at approximately 5:00 p.m. inside the Chipotle located in the 1100 block of West Montgomery Avenue, on the ground floor of The View at Montgomery apartment complex. The building is situated near Temple University’s Student Center and TECH Center.
Police later identified the victim as Khyon Smith-Tate, a North Philadelphia resident. Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said Smith-Tate was found with a gunshot wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at 5:24 p.m.
Temple University President John Fry and Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police Jennifer Griffin issued a joint statement following the incident:
“The loss of life to gun violence is a profound tragedy, and there are no words that can make sense of it. Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and loved ones.”
According to investigators, Smith-Tate and another minor entered the restaurant and requested access to the restroom. Chief Inspector Small said the shooting is believed to have occurred inside the bathroom.
Moments later, employees discovered Smith-Tate suffering from a gunshot wound. Police recovered one spent shell casing from a semiautomatic weapon inside the restroom.
Although the victim’s last known address was approximately eight blocks from the scene, authorities have not indicated what brought him to the location or what led to the shooting.
At the time of the incident, the restaurant was crowded, and multiple individuals inside the business were detained briefly for questioning. However, police said they have not yet obtained any statements from witnesses who reported hearing a gunshot.
A person of interest was taken into custody several blocks from the scene shortly after the shooting, but Chief Inspector Small said that individual’s involvement remains unclear.
As of Tuesday, police confirmed that no arrests have been made and no motive has been established.
Investigators believe Smith-Tate entered the restroom with another minor, though the whereabouts of that individual remain unknown.
Police are also seeking information about three possible suspects, described as teenagers carrying backpacks.
Chief Inspector Small noted that the area is equipped with numerous surveillance cameras, which detectives are reviewing as part of the ongoing investigation.
Authorities are asking anyone with information related to the incident to contact the Philadelphia Police Department.