Minnesota man accused of shooting lawmakers to face federal charges

The suspect accused of fatally shooting a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband in a gun rampage in June has been indicted on six federal charges, the state's attorney general has announced.

The charges against Vance Boelter, 57, include stalking and murder which prosecutors said could be met with a maximum sentence of life in prison or the death penalty.

After a two-day manhunt, Mr Boelter was arrested on 16 June for his alleged role in the killings of Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman.

Mr Boelter remains in custody in Minnesota, where he is also facing state charges. He has not yet entered a plea.

According to prosecutors, Mr Boelter stalked and fired at two other state lawmakers - John Hoffman, a Minnesota state senator, and his wife, Yvette Hoffman - in a separate shooting. Prosecutors said he also had plans for a larger-scale attack which police thwarted.

"Vance Boelter planned and carried out a night of terror that shook Minnesota to its core," said Acting US Attorney Joseph H Thompson in a written statement.

"He carried out targeted political assassinations the likes of which have never been seen in Minnesota," he said.

Prosecutors also released a letter in which they say Mr Boelter admitted to being the gunman and claimed Minnesota's Governor Tim Walz asked him to kill US Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith for political purposes. Prosecutors and Walz say that claim is completely false.

According to court documents, Mr Boelter researched the victims and their families beforehand, in preparation for the attacks on 14 June.

Mr Boelter approached the Hoffman's home in Champlin, Minnesota, disguised as a police officer and when they answered the door, shot Senator Hoffman nine times and his wife Yvette Hoffman eight times, prosecutors said. He then attempted to shoot their daughter, Hope Hoffman.

Mr Boelter then travelled to the homes of two other Minnesota elected officials, who were both away at the time, before driving to the Hortmans' house and fatally shooting the couple, prosecutors said.

He was arrested two days later near his family home in a wooded rural area west of Minneapolis.