A shocking act of political violence is rocking Minnesota after a former appointee of Democrat Governor Tim Walz was identified as the prime suspect in a pair of targeted shootings that left one prominent Democratic lawmaker and her husband dead, and another wounded along with his wife.

According to The New York Post, 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter is believed to have impersonated a police officer before allegedly launching two separate attacks Saturday morning—first shooting Democratic State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, and then murdering former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband.

The brazen ambush stunned the state’s political establishment and raised uncomfortable questions about Boelter’s past connections to Democratic leadership. In 2019, Governor Walz appointed Boelter to a four-year term on the Governor’s Workforce Development Board, placing him in a trusted advisory role in state government. Prior to that, Boelter also served under former Democrat Governor Mark Dayton in 2016 on the Workforce Development Council.

Authorities recovered a fake police vehicle at the scene, which contained a manifesto referencing Hortman and other political figures, suggesting that the killings were ideologically motivated. Flyers inside the vehicle promoted the so-called “No Kings” protests—a loosely organized set of anti-Trump demonstrations scheduled for this weekend. In response to the violence, law enforcement quickly urged residents to avoid the protests, which were subsequently canceled.

Democrat officials scrambled to contain the fallout. During a press conference, Governor Walz condemned the attack as “targeted political violence,” stating: “We must all, in Minnesota and across the country, stand against all forms of political violence… Those responsible for this will be held accountable.”

Yet critics are questioning how someone with such deep ties to Minnesota’s Democratic leadership was allowed to ascend to prominent roles without raising red flags. Boelter’s background, political associations, and access to government circles are now under intense scrutiny.

As of Sunday, Sen. Hoffman and his wife remain hospitalized with serious injuries. The tragic deaths of Melissa Hortman—once the top Democrat in the Minnesota House—and her husband are sparking a wider debate about political extremism, government vetting, and the dangers of inflammatory protest movements.