Crime
Suspect in shooting Minnesota state lawmakers identified as Vance Luther Boelter
Authorities have identified the suspect in the overnight shootings of two Minnesota state lawmakers as 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter.
Law enforcement sources informed reporter Julio Rosas that Boelter appears to be the same individual who was appointed to the Governor’s Workforce Development Council in 2016 by then-Governor Mark Dayton and reappointed to the Governor’s Workforce Development Board in 2019 by current Governor Tim Walz.
The shootings, which took place in the early morning hours of Saturday, left Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, dead, and State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, critically injured. The suspect remains at large, and a large-scale manhunt is currently underway.
The first attack occurred shortly after 2:00 a.m. at the Champlin residence of State Senator John Hoffman, a Democrat who has served in the Minnesota Senate since 2013. Senator Hoffman sustained at least two gunshot wounds, while his wife Yvette was struck three times. Both were transported to a local hospital and are receiving medical treatment.
In light of the shooting, officers were dispatched to the home of Representative Melissa Hortman, located just a few miles south in Brooklyn Park near the Edinburgh Golf Course. Representative Hortman, who had served in the Minnesota House since 2005 and was the current Democratic leader, and her husband Mark were found critically injured at the scene. Despite emergency life-saving efforts, both were pronounced dead.
According to a statement from the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect was dressed as a law enforcement officer and was operating a vehicle made to resemble a police cruiser. Authorities also recovered a manifesto and a list of targeted names from inside the vehicle. No motive has been disclosed at this time.
In response to the attacks, a shelter-in-place order has been issued for residents within a three-mile radius of the Edinburgh Golf Course. Law enforcement officials have urged the public not to approach the suspect, who is considered armed and dangerous.
Due to the suspect’s use of a police disguise, authorities are advising residents to exercise extreme caution. “If a police officer knocks on your door, call 911 to confirm their identity before opening,” the sheriff’s office advised. Licensed officers currently deployed in the area are working in pairs to help distinguish legitimate law enforcement from impersonators.
The investigation is ongoing, and federal, state, and local agencies are actively participating in the search. Anyone with information regarding the suspect’s whereabouts is urged to call 911 immediately.
AUSTIN, Texas — A man was taken into custody Saturday afternoon following a shooting inside the Austin Central Library that left one person seriously injured and prompted a large emergency response and temporary shelter-in-place order in the downtown area.
According to the Austin Police Department (APD), officers responded shortly after 12:00 p.m. to reports of gunfire inside the Austin Central Library, located at 710 W. César Chávez Street.
Upon arrival, police and Austin-Travis County EMS units found one victim suffering from a gunshot wound.
The individual was transported to a local hospital in serious but stable condition.
Assistant Police Chief Lee Rogers stated during a press briefing that the shooter fled the scene before officers arrived.
After an extensive search, the suspect—identified as 55-year-old Harold Newton Keene—was located and arrested in South Austin at approximately 1:25 p.m.
The library was safely evacuated, and the shelter-in-place alert was lifted shortly after Keene’s apprehension.
Authorities emphasized that the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident involving only one suspect and one victim.
“This was not an active shooter situation,” Rogers confirmed.
Preliminary reports and public records reveal that Harold Newton Keene has a lengthy criminal history, including multiple arrests for assault, family violence, terroristic threats, burglary, drug possession, and evading arrest.
He is described by law enforcement officials as a habitual violent offender who has had numerous prior run-ins with police.
Records indicate Keene was previously arrested for threatening a man with a firearm several months ago and, in a separate incident, assaulted another inmate while in custody at the Travis County Jail.
In both cases, prosecutors later declined to pursue charges.
Authorities have not yet released a possible motive for the shooting or confirmed whether the suspect and victim knew each other.
The Austin Police Department’s Major Crimes Division is leading the investigation.
Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to contact the Austin Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS.