From a legislator in downtown Minneapolis to a veteran Ohio congresswoman, many lawmakers included in the suspected Minnesota gunman’s list of targets have vowed not to bow down.
Vance Boelter, 57, has been charged with federal murder and stalking, along with state charges, following a nearly two-day search that culminated in his capture in the woods near his home.
He is suspected of shooting and killing former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home early Saturday. He is also accused of wounding Democratic Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.
The dozens of politicians included in Boelter’s writings were Democrats, according to acting U.S. Attorney Joseph Thompson. About 45 were state and federal officials in Minnesota, while elected leaders in Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin said they were also mentioned in the writings.
Authorities have not provided a motive for the shootings. Manny Atwal, Boelter’s lead attorney, declined to comment, saying the office just got the case.
Here’s how some of the lawmakers in his writings are reacting to the violence:
Minnesota state Rep. Esther Agbaje
Agbaje spent the weekend with friends and family after learning that her name was on Boelter’s list and said she is still trying to make sense of the violence.
But since his arrest, the lawmaker, whose district includes portions of northern and downtown Minneapolis, has returned home. She said she now feels “more committed than ever” to her work as a legislator.
“We cannot allow people to divide us and then use violence to keep up those divisions,” she said.
U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell, Michigan
A day after Dingell learned her name was included in Boelter’s writing, she held a town hall Monday in a high school auditorium in Dexter, Michigan.
“We cannot let terror terrorize us,” she told the audience, who cheered.
Dingell, who represents the Ann Arbor area, said that some people had wanted her to cancel the event.
After the town hall, she reflected on her habit of going out in public without her staff because she always wants people to be able to talk with her. After the shooting, law enforcement officers have told her to be more careful.
“We can’t let elected officials be cut off,” she said. “We can’t let elected officials become afraid.”
“Look, I’m going to keep fighting for the people that I represent. I’m going to keep being a voice for those that want me to make sure their voice is heard at the table,” she added.
Minnesota state Sen. Ann Rest
Rest, who represents New Hope in Hennepin County, said she was made aware that the suspect had been parked near her home early Saturday. She said in a statement Monday that the “quick action” of law enforcement officers saved her life.
While she was grateful for the suspect’s apprehension, she noted in the statement that she was grieving the loss of the Hortmans and praying for the Hoffmans’ recovery.
U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten, Michigan
Scholten, who represents Grand Rapids, said she was postponing a Monday town hall after learning she was a potential target.
“Out of an abundance of caution and to not divert additional law enforcement resources away from protecting the broader public at this time, this is the responsible choice,” Scholten said in a statement.
U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, Ohio
Kaptur’s office said in a statement that her name was included in Boelter’s writing but that it will not get in the way of her work “to make life better for families across Northwest Ohio.”
“Uplifting those who she has the honor to serve has been her sole focus every single day she has served and nothing will deter her from doing so now,” the statement said.
Minnesota state Rep. Alex Falconer
Falconer, whose district includes a portion of the Twin Cities, said he woke up Saturday morning while on vacation with his wife and kids to a flurry of text messages about the shootings. The police chief then called to warn him about a list of targets.
Falconer said he later learned he wasn’t on the list, but his family decided to stay away until the suspect was in custody. The police chief increased patrols in his neighborhood and stationed a police car outside of his house, he said.
While the question of whether to stay in politics was top of mind for him this weekend, Falconer said, “They win if we quit.”
Falconer and his Democratic colleagues in the state House gathered at the Capitol on Monday to seek comfort in one another and share stories of Hortman, Falconer said. It was the first time they could meet since the shooting because they had been told by law enforcement to not leave their homes while the suspect remained at-large, he said.
___
Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti and Isabella Volmert in Lansing, Michigan contributed to this report.
