Suspect in Shootings of Minnesota Lawmakers Indicted

A man indicted Tuesday on charges he fatally shot the Democratic leader in the Minnesota state House and her husband, and wounded another lawmaker and his wife, confessed to the crimes in a rambling handwritten letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, but didn't say why he targeted the couples, prosecutors say. Vance Boelter also wrote in the letter that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz had approached him about killing the state's two US senators, fellow Democrats Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith. Asked by a reporter if all that was a fantasy, acting US Attorney Joseph Thompson replied: "Yes, I agree." He added, "There is little evidence showing why he turned to political violence and extremism. What he left were lists: politicians in Minnesota, lists of politicians in other states, lists of names of attorneys at national law firms."

The indictment handed up murder, stalking and firearms charges against Boelter, the AP reports. The murder counts in the deaths of former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, could carry the federal death penalty. The indictment also charged Boelter with shooting and wounding a state senator and his wife, and attempting to shoot their adult daughter. Thompson said a decision on whether to seek the death penalty "will not come for several months" and will be up to US Attorney General Pam Bondi. Prosecutors initially charged Boelter with the same six counts. But under federal court rules they needed a grand jury indictment to take the case to trial. His arraignment, where he could enter a plea, will probably be scheduled for later in the week.