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
5 dead including 3 children in Silver Rail Elementary shooting in Bend, teenage shooter killed by a Good Samaritan
BEND, Ore. — Five people were reportedly killed in a shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School in southeast Bend, Oregon, on Thursday, October 15, 2026, including three children, one adult victim, and the teenage suspect, according to preliminary information attributed to federal law enforcement.
The reported shooting prompted a major emergency response involving police, fire crews, and emergency medical services.
Authorities issued an alert at approximately 1:17 p.m., warning of a large police presence at the elementary school and urging the public to avoid the area.
According to the information provided, four victims were killed at the school. Three of those victims were children, while the fourth was an adult. The suspected gunman, described in preliminary reports as a teenager, was also reported dead, bringing the reported total to five fatalities.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting, including the identities of the victims and the suspect, had not been fully established in the information available.
Preliminary reports indicated that the suspected gunman was a teenager and was killed after being confronted by a Good Samaritan.
Earlier scanner traffic reportedly indicated that the suspect had been neutralized. Unconfirmed reports suggested that the individual who intervened may have been a father of a student at the school.
However, authorities had not publicly confirmed all the circumstances surrounding the confrontation or independently verified the reported identity and role of the person who intervened.
Investigators are expected to examine the sequence of events leading up to the shooting, how the suspect was stopped, and whether the suspect acted alone.
The first police alert was issued at approximately 1:17 p.m. Thursday. It described a large police presence at Silver Rail Elementary School and instructed the public to stay away from the area.
Fire and emergency medical services personnel were seen responding near the school as authorities worked to address the reported threat and assist those affected.
The shooting prompted urgent concern among families and the surrounding community, particularly after reports indicated that children were among the victims.
Approximately 10 minutes after the initial alert, police announced a reunification site for students and their families at Journey Church, located at 61303 S. Highway 97 in Bend, near Goodwill and Dairy Queen.
Parents and guardians were instructed to go to the designated location to reunite with students and receive further information.
Authorities urged families to follow official instructions and avoid approaching the school while emergency operations continued.
The reported shooting also prompted precautionary security measures at nearby schools. Parents received alerts indicating that Caldera High School and Jewell Elementary School had been placed on lockdown Thursday afternoon.
The lockdowns were reported as law enforcement responded to Silver Rail Elementary and worked to secure the surrounding area.
Further information was needed to establish how long the lockdowns remained in effect and when normal school operations resumed.
Although preliminary information indicated five deaths, including three children, one adult victim, and the teenage suspect, additional official confirmation is needed regarding the victims’ identities, the suspect’s identity, and the circumstances of the shooting.
The reported involvement of a Good Samaritan also requires confirmation from investigators.
This remains a developing story. Further details should be added as law enforcement and school officials release verified information about the shooting and the investigation.