What are the charges against Vance Boelter? Here's what could happen to alleged Minnesota shooter next
Charges against alleged Minnesota assassin Vance Luther Boelter have been revealed shortly after he was arrested near his Green Isle home.
Charges against alleged Minnesota assassin Vance Luther Boelter have been revealed shortly after he was arrested near his Green Isle home. Boelter is charged with two counts of murder in the second-degree and two counts of attempted murder in the second-degree, according to a criminal complaint obtained by the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Boelter is accused of carrying out several shootings, including that of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife in their Champlin home early Saturday, June 14, leaving them seriously injured. He then went to former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman’s house, where he allegedly killed her and her husband, police sources told the New York Post.
If convicted of killing Hortman and her husband, Boelter could get a maximum sentence of up to 40 years per charge, with a minimum of three years each, according to the complaint. If convicted of attacking Hoffman and his wife, Boelter can receive a maximum sentence of up to 20 years, with a minimum of three for each of the attempted murder charges. Hoffman and his wife, who were shot, are now recovering at a hospital.
Are additional charges likely?
Although Boelter is currently facing second-degree murder and second-degree attempted murder charges, Kare 11's Lou Raguse said that these charges could be upgraded to first-degree by a grand jury. The procedure says that while prosecutors generally charge a suspect with second-degree murder, a grand jury can later elevate the charge to first-degree, or premeditated murder.
Meanwhile, in a statement after Boelter’s arrest, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said, “As a country we cannot become numb to this violence. We are a deeply divided nation. That has become even more clear over the last two days.”
Walz added, “The way we move forward and solve the problems facing our nation is not through hate. It is not through violence. It is through humility, and grace, and civility.”
Walz acknowledged the grief of the victims’ families, saying members of the community must take solace in the couple’s memory and “Melissa’s legacy of selfless, pragmatic, gentle public service.” “As we heal, we will not let fear win,” Walz added.
