Salem News Channel

RSS Feed

MN Shooter Gets Charged for Murder

MN Shooting Suspect Gets Murder Charge

Read More...

Appeals Court To Hold Hearing On Trump’s National Guard Deployment

An appeals court will hold a hearing this week on President Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles. Late last week, a federal judge ruled that the president illegally deployed the National Guard to help with LA protests, and said he must return control of the troops to California’s governor. But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stepped in immediately and temporarily blocked that judge’s order. The court said it would hold a hearing on the matter on Tuesday. The order applied only to the National Guard troops and not Marines who were also deployed to Los Angeles.

Read More...

Supporting Israel Is Putting America First

Supporting Israel Is Putting America First

Read More...

Trump Orders More Deportations In Democrat-Controlled Cities

President Trump is stepping up deportations in Democratic-controlled cities. At the president’s direction, federal immigration officials will prioritize deportations from cities run by elected Democrats. Writing on social media, he called on ICE “to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.” Specifically, he called for expanded efforts in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York.

Read More...

Trump To Iran: Negotiate “Before It’s Too Late”

President Trump is urging Iran to return to the negotiating table “before it’s too late.” As Israel and Iran exchange deadly military airstrikes, the president is pressing the Iranian government to resume talks about its nuclear program. Speaking at the G7 Summit in Alberta, Canada, the president declined to answer what it would take for the U-S to be directly involved in the growing conflict between Israel and Iran.

Read More...

Dr. Michael Oren on Israel’s Strikes Against Iran

Join Hugh LIVE: Weekdays, 3-6PM ET. Visit Hugh's website: https://hughhewitt.com Follow Hugh on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hughhewitt The Hugh Hewitt Show on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hughhewittshow/ Subscribe to The Hugh Hewitt Show's podcast here: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/HHShowApple Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/HHShowGoogle Spotify: http://bit.ly/HHShowSpotify Check out the Hughniverse for a commercial-free archive of The Hugh Hewitt Radio Show and The Aftershow with Duane "Generalissimo" Patterson anytime you want: https://www.hughniverse.com

Read More...

Judge Extends Order Suspending Trump's Block On Harvard's Incoming Foreign Students

President Donald Trump’s order to block incoming foreign students from attending Harvard University will remain on hold temporarily following a hearing Monday, when a lawyer for the Ivy League school said its students were being used as “pawns.” U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston extended a temporary restraining order on Trump's proclamation until June 23 while she weighs Harvard's request for a preliminary injunction. Burroughs made the decision at a hearing over Harvard's request, which Trump's Republican administration opposed. Burroughs granted the initial restraining order June 5, and it had been set to expire Thursday. Trump moved to block foreign students from entering the U.S. to attend Harvard earlier this month, citing concerns over national security. It followed a previous attempt by the Department of Homeland Security to revoke Harvard's ability to host foreign students on its campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Burroughs has temporarily blocked that action, too, and is weighing whether it should remain on hold until the case is decided. Ian Gershengorn, a lawyer for Harvard, told Burroughs on Monday that Trump was “using Harvard’s international students as pawns" while arguing the administration has exceeded its authority in an attempt to retaliate against the school for not agreeing to the president's demands. Trump has been warring with Harvard for months after it rejected a series of government demands meant to address conservative complaints that the school has become too liberal and has tolerated anti-Jewish harassment. Trump officials have cut more than $2.6 billion in research grants, ended federal contracts and threatened to revoke its tax-exempt status. Foreign students were brought into the battle in April, when Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanded that Harvard turn over a trove of records related to any dangerous or illegal activity by foreign students. Harvard says it complied, but Noem said the response fell short, and on May 22 she revoked Harvard’s certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. The sanction immediately put Harvard at a disadvantage as it competed for the world’s top students and harmed Harvard’s reputation as a global research hub, the school said in its lawsuit. “Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard,” the suit said. The action would have upended some graduate schools that recruit heavily from abroad. Some schools overseas quickly offered invitations to Harvard’s students, including two universities in Hong Kong. Harvard President Alan Garber previously said the university has made changes to combat antisemitism. But Harvard, he said, will not stray from its “core, legally-protected principles,” even after receiving federal ultimatums.

Read More...

Can We Ever Truly Get Rid Of DEI On Campus?

Can We Ever Truly Get Rid Of DEI On Campus?

Read More...

We Must Pray For Peace In Israel

We Must Pray For Peace In Israel

Read More...

NC Redistricting Trial Begins, With Racial Gerrymandering Allegations In Focus

North Carolina congressional and legislative districts drawn by Republicans that helped them retain majorities in Raleigh and Washington are in court, as federal lawsuits accuse mapmakers of illegally eroding Black voting power in the process. A three-judge panel convened Monday in Winston-Salem for a trial over allegations that GOP legislative leaders violated federal law and the U.S. Constitution when they enacted new electoral maps in the ninth-largest state in October 2023. Republican leaders counter that lawfully partisan — and not racial — considerations helped inform their decision-making. The lines were used in the 2024 elections, after which Republicans kept General Assembly majorities and flipped three U.S. House seats held by Democratic incumbents who didn’t seek reelection because they decided the recast district made winning impossible. Those seat flips, which turned a 7-7 delegation into one with a 10-4 Republican advantage, helped the GOP keep narrow control of the House, which has helped advance President Donald Trump's agenda. Favorable rulings for the plaintiffs could force Republicans to redraw maps for the 2026 elections, making it harder to retain their partisan advantage. Otherwise, the districts could be used through the 2030 elections.

Read More...

Iran Must Be Stopped

Iran needs to be stopped, and Israel can do it.

Read More...

Updates on Israel vs Iran

Hugh Hewitt talks with Amit Segal how Israel attacked Iran. 

Read More...

Live Updates From Israel

Live Updates From Israel With Rabbi Pesach Wolicki.

Read More...

Why Israel Is Targeting Iran's Media Center

Why Israel Is Targeting Iran's Media Center

Read More...

Crews Take On Fast-Moving Brush Fire In Hawaii's Maui County

Firefighters have evacuated at least 105 homes in Hawaii's Maui County following a fast-moving brush fire fueled by strong winds, fire officials said. The Kahikinui brush fire grew to 500 acres (202 hectares) on Sunday night, the County of Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety said. Authorities conducted door-to-door evacuations and part of a highway was closed. No injuries or structural damage had been reported. Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke and Mayor Richard Bissen signed Emergency Proclamations that activate the Hawaii National Guard to deploy resources as need to aid in fire suppression and protect public safety, and authorizing the county to access federal assistance programs for individuals and public infrastructure. The American Red Cross opened a shelter at a high school gymnasium. The Kahikinui brush fire is in East Maui, while Lahaina, the site of a massive inferno in 2023, is on the western side of the island, about 60 miles (96.5 kilometers) away. The Lahaina fire, the deadliest in the U.S. in more than a century, killed more than 100 people, destroyed thousands of properties and caused an estimated $5.5 billion in damage.

Read More...

American Officials Inspect Plane Crash Site In Ahmedabad

American officials are in India, inspecting the site where an Air India plane went down last week, killing all but one passenger onboard. The plane - a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft - was heading to London, when it crashed minutes after takeoff in western India last week.

Read More...

DOJ Charges Man Suspected Of Shooting 2 Minnesota Lawmakers With Federal Murder, Stalking Offenses

The man accused of killing a Minnesota lawmaker and wounding another went to the homes of two other legislators on the night of the shootings, intending to inflict more carnage against those on his hitlist, a federal prosecutor said Monday. But one of the other lawmakers was on vacation and the suspect left the other house after police arrived early Saturday, acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said at a press conference. The suspect, Vance Boelter, meticulously planned out the attacks, carrying out surveillance missions, taking notes on the homes and people he targeted and disguising himself as a police officer on the night of the attacks, Thompson said. “It is no exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmare,” he said. Boelter surrendered to police Sunday after they found him in the woods near his home following a massive manhunt over nearly two days that began near Minneapolis. He is accused of posing as an officer and fatally shooting former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home early Saturday in the northern Minneapolis suburbs. Authorities say he also shot Sen. John Hoffman, a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, who lived just a few miles away. Federal prosecutors announced Monday that they have charged Boelter, 57, with federal murder, stalking offenses. He already faces state charges, including murder and attempted murder. Boeltner had many notebooks full of plans and made efforts to find the addresses of his victims and their family members, Thompson said. But authorities have not found any writings that would “clearly identify what motivated him,” he said. Though the targets were Democrats and elected officials, Thompson said it was too soon to speculate on any sort of political ideology that could explain his motives. Authorities declined to name the two other elected officials whom Boelter allegedly stalked but who escaped harm. But it was clear the shootings were politically motivated. “This was a targeted attack against individuals who answered the call to public service,” said Alvin Winston, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Minneapolis field office. The resulting search, he said, was the largest search for a suspect in the history of the state. Boelter’s wife consented to a search of her phone by law enforcement, according to an FBI affidavit that cites from a text from Boelter to a family group chat: “Dad went to war last night ... I don’t wanna say more because I don’t wanna implicate anybody.” His wife got another text that said: “Words are not gonna explain how sorry I am for this situation ... there’s gonna be some people coming to the house armed and trigger-happy and I don’t want you guys around,” the affidavit said. At one point, Boelter bought an electronic bike and a Buick sedan from someone he met at a bus stop in north Minneapolis, the federal affidavit said. Police found the sedan abandoned on a highway Sunday morning. In the car, law enforcement found a cowboy hat Boelter had been seen wearing in surveillance footage as well as a letter written to the FBI, authorities said. The letter said it was written by “Dr. Vance Luther Boulter” and said he was “the shooter at large in Minnesota involved in the 2 shootings." The car was found in rural Sibley County, where Boelter lived, and a police officer reported that he believed he saw Boelter running into the woods. Police called in 20 different tactical teams, divvying up the area to search. During the search, police said they confirmed someone was in the woods and searched for hours, using a helicopter and officers on foot, until they found Boelter. He gave himself up to police, crawling out to officers before he was handcuffed and taken into custody in a field, authorities said. Jail records show Boelter was booked into the Hennepin County Jail early Monday. Drew Evans, superintendent of the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said the violence likely would've continued had Brooklyn Park officers not checked on Hortman's home, causing Boelter to flee. The Hoffmans were attacked first at their home in Champlin early Saturday. A criminal complaint unsealed after Boelter's arrest indicated their adult daughter called 911 to say a masked person had come to the door and shot her parents. After police in nearby Brooklyn Park learned that a lawmaker had been shot, they sent patrol officers to check on the Hortmans’ home. Brooklyn Park police officers arrived just in time to see Boelter shoot Mark Hortman through the open door of the home and exchanged gunfire with Boelter, who fled into the home before escaping, the complaint said. Melissa Hortman was found dead inside, according to the document. Authorities said Boelter posed as a police officer, even allegedly altering a vehicle to make it look like a police car. A Minnesota lawmaker said that Hortman’s dog had to be euthanized after being shot in the attack. “Her children had to put down him after learning their parents had been murdered, ” Rep. Erin Koegel posted on the social media platform X. “Gilbert wasn’t going to survive. Melissa loved that dog. She trained him as a service dog. He flunked out of school and she was so happy he failed so he could stay!” A list of about 70 names was found in writings recovered from the fake police vehicle at the crime scene, said two law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation. The writings and list of names included prominent state and federal lawmakers and community leaders, along with abortion rights advocates and information about health care facilities, according to the officials. A Minnesota official told the AP that lawmakers who had been outspoken in favor of abortion rights were on the list. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing. Boelter is a former political appointee who served on the same state workforce development board as Hoffman, records show, though it was not clear if or how well they knew each other. Just hours after the shootings, Boelter texted friends to apologize for his actions, though he didn't say what he had done.

Read More...

First ... 266 267 268 269 270 ... Last

Salem News Channel Today

Sponsored Links


September 26 - Phoenix, AZ
Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts


November 2 - Detroit, MI
Zion Christian Church in Troy


October 6 - Los Angeles, CA
Pasadena Convention Center


November 5 - San Antonio, TX
Norris Centers – The Grand Red Oak Ballroom


October 8 - Sacramento, CA
William Jessup University


November 7 - Tampa, FL
The Palladium at St. Pete College


October 22 - Minneapolis, MN
Crowne Plaza AiRE


November 15 - San Francisco, CA
Fremont Marriott Silicon Valley


October 23 - Philadelphia, PA
Green Valley Country Club


November 16 - Denver, CO
CU South Denver - Formerly Wildlife Experience


November 2 - Chicago, IL
Chicago Westin Northwest in Itasca


November 21 - Cleveland, OH
Holiday Inn Rockside in Independence



Salem Radio Network Speakers

Larry Elder is an American lawyer, writer, and radio and television personality who calls himself the "Sage of South Central" a district of Los Angeles, Larry says his philosophy is to entertain, inform, provoke and to hopefully uplift. His calling card is "we have a country to save" and to him this means returning to the bedrock Constitutional principles of limited government and maximum personal responsibility. Elder's iconoclastic wit and intellectual agility makes him a particularly attractive voice in a nation that seems weary of traditional racial dialogue.” – Los Angeles Times.

Mike Gallagher Mike Gallagher began his broadcasting career in 1978 in Dayton, Ohio. Today, he is one of the most listened-to talk radio show hosts in America, recently having been ranked in the Talkers Magazine “Heavy Hundred” list – the 100 most important talk radio hosts in America. Prior to being launched into national syndication in 1998, Mike hosted the morning show on WABC-AM in New York City. Today, Talkers Magazine reports that his show is heard by over 3.75 million weekly listeners. Besides his radio work, Mike is seen on Fox News Channel as an on-air contributor, frequently appearing on the cable news giant.

Hugh Hewitt is one of the nation’s leading bloggers and a genuine media revolutionary. He brings that expertise, his wit and what The New Yorker magazine calls his “amiable but relentless manner” to his nationally syndicated show each day.

When Dr. Sebastian Gorka was growing up, he listened to talk radio under his pillow with a transistor radio, dreaming that one day he would be behind the microphone. Beginning New Year’s Day 2019, he got his wish. Gorka now hosts America First every weekday afternoon 3 to 6pm ET. Gorka’s unique story works well on the radio. He is national security analyst for the Fox News Channel and author of two books: "Why We Fight" and "Defeating Jihad." His latest book releasing this fall is “War For America’s Soul.” He is uniquely qualified to fight the culture war and stand up for what is great about America, his adopted home country.

Broadcasting from his home station of KRLA in Los Angeles, the Dennis Prager Show is heard across the country. Everything in life – from politics to religion to relationships – is grist for Dennis’ mill. If it’s interesting, if it affects your life, then Dennis will be talking about it – with passion, humor, insight and wisdom.

Sean Hannity is a conservative radio and television host, and one of the original primetime hosts on the Fox News Channel, where he has appeared since 1996. Sean Hannity began his radio career at a college station in California, before moving on to markets in the Southeast and New York. Today, he’s one of the most listened to on-air voices. Hannity’s radio program went into national syndication on September 10, 2001, and airs on more than 500 stations. Talkers Magazine estimates Hannity’s weekly radio audience at 13.5 million. In 1996 he was hired as one of the original hosts on Fox News Channel. As host of several popular Fox programs, Hannity has become the highest-paid news anchor on television.

Michelle Malkin is a mother, wife, blogger, conservative syndicated columnist, longtime cable TV news commentator, and best-selling author of six books. She started her newspaper journalism career at the Los Angeles Daily News in 1992, moved to the Seattle Times in 1995, and has been penning nationally syndicated newspaper columns for Creators Syndicate since 1999. She is founder of conservative Internet start-ups Hot Air and Twitchy.com. Malkin has received numerous awards for her investigative journalism, including the Council on Governmental Ethics Laws (COGEL) national award for outstanding service for the cause of governmental ethics and leadership (1998), the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award for Investigative Journalism (2006), the Heritage Foundation and Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity's Breitbart Award for Excellence in Journalism (2013), the Center for Immigration Studies' Eugene Katz Award for Excellence in the Coverage of Immigration Award (2016), and the Manhattan Film Festival's Film Heals Award (2018). Married for 26 years and the mother of two teenage children, she lives with her family in Colorado. Follow her at michellemalkin.com. (Photo reprinted with kind permission from Peter Duke Photography.)

Sponsored by:

Salem News Channel

RSS Feed

MN Shooter Gets Charged for Murder

MN Shooting Suspect Gets Murder Charge

Read More...

Appeals Court To Hold Hearing On Trump’s National Guard Deployment

An appeals court will hold a hearing this week on President Trump’s deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles. Late last week, a federal judge ruled that the president illegally deployed the National Guard to help with LA protests, and said he must return control of the troops to California’s governor. But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stepped in immediately and temporarily blocked that judge’s order. The court said it would hold a hearing on the matter on Tuesday. The order applied only to the National Guard troops and not Marines who were also deployed to Los Angeles.

Read More...

Supporting Israel Is Putting America First

Supporting Israel Is Putting America First

Read More...

Trump Orders More Deportations In Democrat-Controlled Cities

President Trump is stepping up deportations in Democratic-controlled cities. At the president’s direction, federal immigration officials will prioritize deportations from cities run by elected Democrats. Writing on social media, he called on ICE “to do all in their power to achieve the very important goal of delivering the single largest Mass Deportation Program in History.” Specifically, he called for expanded efforts in Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York.

Read More...

Trump To Iran: Negotiate “Before It’s Too Late”

President Trump is urging Iran to return to the negotiating table “before it’s too late.” As Israel and Iran exchange deadly military airstrikes, the president is pressing the Iranian government to resume talks about its nuclear program. Speaking at the G7 Summit in Alberta, Canada, the president declined to answer what it would take for the U-S to be directly involved in the growing conflict between Israel and Iran.

Read More...

Dr. Michael Oren on Israel’s Strikes Against Iran

Join Hugh LIVE: Weekdays, 3-6PM ET. Visit Hugh's website: https://hughhewitt.com Follow Hugh on Twitter: https://twitter.com/hughhewitt The Hugh Hewitt Show on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hughhewittshow/ Subscribe to The Hugh Hewitt Show's podcast here: Apple Podcasts: http://bit.ly/HHShowApple Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/HHShowGoogle Spotify: http://bit.ly/HHShowSpotify Check out the Hughniverse for a commercial-free archive of The Hugh Hewitt Radio Show and The Aftershow with Duane "Generalissimo" Patterson anytime you want: https://www.hughniverse.com

Read More...

Judge Extends Order Suspending Trump's Block On Harvard's Incoming Foreign Students

President Donald Trump’s order to block incoming foreign students from attending Harvard University will remain on hold temporarily following a hearing Monday, when a lawyer for the Ivy League school said its students were being used as “pawns.” U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston extended a temporary restraining order on Trump's proclamation until June 23 while she weighs Harvard's request for a preliminary injunction. Burroughs made the decision at a hearing over Harvard's request, which Trump's Republican administration opposed. Burroughs granted the initial restraining order June 5, and it had been set to expire Thursday. Trump moved to block foreign students from entering the U.S. to attend Harvard earlier this month, citing concerns over national security. It followed a previous attempt by the Department of Homeland Security to revoke Harvard's ability to host foreign students on its campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Burroughs has temporarily blocked that action, too, and is weighing whether it should remain on hold until the case is decided. Ian Gershengorn, a lawyer for Harvard, told Burroughs on Monday that Trump was “using Harvard’s international students as pawns" while arguing the administration has exceeded its authority in an attempt to retaliate against the school for not agreeing to the president's demands. Trump has been warring with Harvard for months after it rejected a series of government demands meant to address conservative complaints that the school has become too liberal and has tolerated anti-Jewish harassment. Trump officials have cut more than $2.6 billion in research grants, ended federal contracts and threatened to revoke its tax-exempt status. Foreign students were brought into the battle in April, when Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem demanded that Harvard turn over a trove of records related to any dangerous or illegal activity by foreign students. Harvard says it complied, but Noem said the response fell short, and on May 22 she revoked Harvard’s certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. The sanction immediately put Harvard at a disadvantage as it competed for the world’s top students and harmed Harvard’s reputation as a global research hub, the school said in its lawsuit. “Without its international students, Harvard is not Harvard,” the suit said. The action would have upended some graduate schools that recruit heavily from abroad. Some schools overseas quickly offered invitations to Harvard’s students, including two universities in Hong Kong. Harvard President Alan Garber previously said the university has made changes to combat antisemitism. But Harvard, he said, will not stray from its “core, legally-protected principles,” even after receiving federal ultimatums.

Read More...

Can We Ever Truly Get Rid Of DEI On Campus?

Can We Ever Truly Get Rid Of DEI On Campus?

Read More...

We Must Pray For Peace In Israel

We Must Pray For Peace In Israel

Read More...

NC Redistricting Trial Begins, With Racial Gerrymandering Allegations In Focus

North Carolina congressional and legislative districts drawn by Republicans that helped them retain majorities in Raleigh and Washington are in court, as federal lawsuits accuse mapmakers of illegally eroding Black voting power in the process. A three-judge panel convened Monday in Winston-Salem for a trial over allegations that GOP legislative leaders violated federal law and the U.S. Constitution when they enacted new electoral maps in the ninth-largest state in October 2023. Republican leaders counter that lawfully partisan — and not racial — considerations helped inform their decision-making. The lines were used in the 2024 elections, after which Republicans kept General Assembly majorities and flipped three U.S. House seats held by Democratic incumbents who didn’t seek reelection because they decided the recast district made winning impossible. Those seat flips, which turned a 7-7 delegation into one with a 10-4 Republican advantage, helped the GOP keep narrow control of the House, which has helped advance President Donald Trump's agenda. Favorable rulings for the plaintiffs could force Republicans to redraw maps for the 2026 elections, making it harder to retain their partisan advantage. Otherwise, the districts could be used through the 2030 elections.

Read More...

Iran Must Be Stopped

Iran needs to be stopped, and Israel can do it.

Read More...

Updates on Israel vs Iran

Hugh Hewitt talks with Amit Segal how Israel attacked Iran. 

Read More...

Live Updates From Israel

Live Updates From Israel With Rabbi Pesach Wolicki.

Read More...

Why Israel Is Targeting Iran's Media Center

Why Israel Is Targeting Iran's Media Center

Read More...

Crews Take On Fast-Moving Brush Fire In Hawaii's Maui County

Firefighters have evacuated at least 105 homes in Hawaii's Maui County following a fast-moving brush fire fueled by strong winds, fire officials said. The Kahikinui brush fire grew to 500 acres (202 hectares) on Sunday night, the County of Maui Department of Fire and Public Safety said. Authorities conducted door-to-door evacuations and part of a highway was closed. No injuries or structural damage had been reported. Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke and Mayor Richard Bissen signed Emergency Proclamations that activate the Hawaii National Guard to deploy resources as need to aid in fire suppression and protect public safety, and authorizing the county to access federal assistance programs for individuals and public infrastructure. The American Red Cross opened a shelter at a high school gymnasium. The Kahikinui brush fire is in East Maui, while Lahaina, the site of a massive inferno in 2023, is on the western side of the island, about 60 miles (96.5 kilometers) away. The Lahaina fire, the deadliest in the U.S. in more than a century, killed more than 100 people, destroyed thousands of properties and caused an estimated $5.5 billion in damage.

Read More...

American Officials Inspect Plane Crash Site In Ahmedabad

American officials are in India, inspecting the site where an Air India plane went down last week, killing all but one passenger onboard. The plane - a Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft - was heading to London, when it crashed minutes after takeoff in western India last week.

Read More...

DOJ Charges Man Suspected Of Shooting 2 Minnesota Lawmakers With Federal Murder, Stalking Offenses

The man accused of killing a Minnesota lawmaker and wounding another went to the homes of two other legislators on the night of the shootings, intending to inflict more carnage against those on his hitlist, a federal prosecutor said Monday. But one of the other lawmakers was on vacation and the suspect left the other house after police arrived early Saturday, acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson said at a press conference. The suspect, Vance Boelter, meticulously planned out the attacks, carrying out surveillance missions, taking notes on the homes and people he targeted and disguising himself as a police officer on the night of the attacks, Thompson said. “It is no exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmare,” he said. Boelter surrendered to police Sunday after they found him in the woods near his home following a massive manhunt over nearly two days that began near Minneapolis. He is accused of posing as an officer and fatally shooting former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home early Saturday in the northern Minneapolis suburbs. Authorities say he also shot Sen. John Hoffman, a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, who lived just a few miles away. Federal prosecutors announced Monday that they have charged Boelter, 57, with federal murder, stalking offenses. He already faces state charges, including murder and attempted murder. Boeltner had many notebooks full of plans and made efforts to find the addresses of his victims and their family members, Thompson said. But authorities have not found any writings that would “clearly identify what motivated him,” he said. Though the targets were Democrats and elected officials, Thompson said it was too soon to speculate on any sort of political ideology that could explain his motives. Authorities declined to name the two other elected officials whom Boelter allegedly stalked but who escaped harm. But it was clear the shootings were politically motivated. “This was a targeted attack against individuals who answered the call to public service,” said Alvin Winston, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Minneapolis field office. The resulting search, he said, was the largest search for a suspect in the history of the state. Boelter’s wife consented to a search of her phone by law enforcement, according to an FBI affidavit that cites from a text from Boelter to a family group chat: “Dad went to war last night ... I don’t wanna say more because I don’t wanna implicate anybody.” His wife got another text that said: “Words are not gonna explain how sorry I am for this situation ... there’s gonna be some people coming to the house armed and trigger-happy and I don’t want you guys around,” the affidavit said. At one point, Boelter bought an electronic bike and a Buick sedan from someone he met at a bus stop in north Minneapolis, the federal affidavit said. Police found the sedan abandoned on a highway Sunday morning. In the car, law enforcement found a cowboy hat Boelter had been seen wearing in surveillance footage as well as a letter written to the FBI, authorities said. The letter said it was written by “Dr. Vance Luther Boulter” and said he was “the shooter at large in Minnesota involved in the 2 shootings." The car was found in rural Sibley County, where Boelter lived, and a police officer reported that he believed he saw Boelter running into the woods. Police called in 20 different tactical teams, divvying up the area to search. During the search, police said they confirmed someone was in the woods and searched for hours, using a helicopter and officers on foot, until they found Boelter. He gave himself up to police, crawling out to officers before he was handcuffed and taken into custody in a field, authorities said. Jail records show Boelter was booked into the Hennepin County Jail early Monday. Drew Evans, superintendent of the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said the violence likely would've continued had Brooklyn Park officers not checked on Hortman's home, causing Boelter to flee. The Hoffmans were attacked first at their home in Champlin early Saturday. A criminal complaint unsealed after Boelter's arrest indicated their adult daughter called 911 to say a masked person had come to the door and shot her parents. After police in nearby Brooklyn Park learned that a lawmaker had been shot, they sent patrol officers to check on the Hortmans’ home. Brooklyn Park police officers arrived just in time to see Boelter shoot Mark Hortman through the open door of the home and exchanged gunfire with Boelter, who fled into the home before escaping, the complaint said. Melissa Hortman was found dead inside, according to the document. Authorities said Boelter posed as a police officer, even allegedly altering a vehicle to make it look like a police car. A Minnesota lawmaker said that Hortman’s dog had to be euthanized after being shot in the attack. “Her children had to put down him after learning their parents had been murdered, ” Rep. Erin Koegel posted on the social media platform X. “Gilbert wasn’t going to survive. Melissa loved that dog. She trained him as a service dog. He flunked out of school and she was so happy he failed so he could stay!” A list of about 70 names was found in writings recovered from the fake police vehicle at the crime scene, said two law enforcement officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss details of the ongoing investigation. The writings and list of names included prominent state and federal lawmakers and community leaders, along with abortion rights advocates and information about health care facilities, according to the officials. A Minnesota official told the AP that lawmakers who had been outspoken in favor of abortion rights were on the list. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing. Boelter is a former political appointee who served on the same state workforce development board as Hoffman, records show, though it was not clear if or how well they knew each other. Just hours after the shootings, Boelter texted friends to apologize for his actions, though he didn't say what he had done.

Read More...

First ... 266 267 268 269 270 ... Last

Salem News Channel Today

Sponsored Links

On Air & Up Next

See the Full Program Guide