Authorities are currently searching for Vance Luther Boelter, a Minnesota man, in connection with the assassination of state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and the shooting of Senator John Hoffman.
Boelter, who runs a security company, is reported to have ties to various regions including the Middle East and Africa, as detailed in his online profiles.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Boelter is the CEO of the Red Lion Group, a company based in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
He has also been associated with Minnesota Africans United, a statewide organization that supports African immigrants, although they stated that he was never hired or contracted by them in any capacity.
In 2022, Boelter was a keynote speaker at a seminar hosted jointly by the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Minnesota Africans United organization, where he discussed his ventures in the African nation while connecting with local farmers and potential investors.
Boelter presented plans for agricultural pilot projects in the DRC, emphasizing his intention to create jobs quickly.
His business interests reportedly include ventures in farming, fishing, media, security, and motorcycle taxis aimed at empowering women in the region.
During the seminar, he made claims about partnering with 400 farmers and starting a fishing project involving approximately 500 fishermen off the coast of Rwanda.
Additionally, Boelter expressed aspirations to launch a motorcycle-taxi business operated and led entirely by women, with goals to have 1,000 female operators.
Despite his involvement with these initiatives, Minnesota Africans United clarified that Boelter never played any official role within their organization.
The FBI released disturbing images allegedly depicting Boelter wearing a stark latex mask resembling an older man while posing as a police officer.
In an altercation linked to the assassination and subsequent shootings, photographs from a home security camera captured him outside the residence of a targeted lawmaker.
Investigators are trying to locate the 57-year-old Boelter, who is believed to have shot Senator Hoffman and his wife early on Saturday morning, leaving them in critical condition before proceeding to the home of Hortman, where the couple was found deceased.
Witnesses claim that the suspect exchanged gunfire with responding officers and managed to escape, leaving behind a disturbing “manifesto” that listed the names of several politicians, including Governor Tim Walz, and featured papers stating “No Kings,” following nationwide anti-Trump protests.
Boelter is also known to have held multiple positions within the community, having been appointed by different Democratic governors to serve on Minnesota’s Workforce Development Council and Workforce Development Board.
He has a varied work history that includes food service more prominently than security roles; he previously worked at 7-Eleven and managed positions at Del Monte, Johnsonville Sausage, and Greencore, a UK manufacturer of convenience foods.
His involvement with security extends beyond Minnesota; Boelter’s Praetorian Guard Security Services provides security options locally and offers services reported to cover operations in Eastern Europe, Africa, North America, and the Middle East.
Boelter and his wife, Jenny, run Praetorian, which promotes a commitment to securing residential properties and personal safety.
With an educational background that includes a degree in international relations from St. Cloud State University and graduate degrees in leadership from Cardinal Stritch University, Boelter has also expressed political views online.
In a November 2018 social media post, he emphasized the importance of voting and encouraged civic participation, citing concerns about the potential impact of upcoming elections on the country’s direction.
In 2022, he registered as a Republican voter.
Authorities continue their manhunt for Boelter as they investigate the violent events that unfolded early Saturday and aim to piece together the circumstances surrounding the lawmaker’s assassination and the subsequent attacks.
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