- The man that authorities say is a suspect in the shooting of two Minnesota lawmakers on Saturday had a complex financial and professional history. While he signaled he was open to job opportunities in the food industry, he reportedly worked at a funeral home while also served as director of security patrols at a private-security firm.
Vance Boelter, who was named as a suspect in the shooting of two Minnesota lawmakers on Saturday, left behind a complex financial and professional history.
He remains on the run with a manhunt underway. State Rep. Melissa Hortman, 55 years old, and her husband were shot and killed in their Brooklyn Park home. Elsewhere in Champlin, state Sen. John Hoffman, 60, and his wife were also shot at home and are recovering after undergoing surgery. Gov. Tim Walz described the shooting as “an act of targeted political violence.”
While Boelter was listed as director of security patrols for private-security company Praetorian Guard Security Services, it’s unclear if that was his primary source of income.
He worked for an eye donation center, according to David Carlson, who shared a house in Minneapolis with Boelter and told Reuters he’s known him since fourth grade.
Carlson also said Boelter was working at a funeral home while experiencing financial and mental health challenges, according to the New York Times.
On Friday, Boelter gave Carlson four months of rent in advance, or about $900 total. A federal law enforcement official told the Times that Boelter emptied a bank account before the shooting.
Despite his various jobs, Boelter’s LinkedIn profile picture carries the green “#opentowork” banner. His professional history includes a stint as a 7-Eleven general manager as well as various positions at food companies like Greencore, Del Monte, Johnsonville Sausage, and Nestle.
“Hi everyone! I’m looking to get back into the U.S. Food Industry and I’m pretty open to positions,” he posted a month ago. “Other Leadership positions outside of the Food Industry I’m willing to hear about as well.”
The LinkedIn profile also says Boelter is CEO of Red Lion Group in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he has delivered sermons as a pastor, according on online videos.
In addition, he and his wife once led a Christian nonprofit called Revoformation Ministries, according to the Times, which cited an archived version of a website that said Boelter previously traveled to the Gaza Strip and West Bank where he “sought out militant Islamists in order to share the gospel and tell them that violence wasn’t the answer.”
Boelter is also listed on federal tax forms as the president of a Minnesota-based nonprofit called You Give Them Something to Eat, though there’s no indication of any spending or income, according to the Washington Post.
His housemate Carlson said Boelter was against abortion and voted for President Donald Trump but generally avoided talking about politics.
He shared with local media text messages he got from Boelter before the shooting that suggested something dire was about to happen.
“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.”
