A man accused of murdering a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband, and wounding another legislator and his wife, has written a rambling letter to the FBI in which he claims Governor Tim Walz instructed him to kill Senator Amy Klobuchar and others. The suspect, Vance Boelter, is charged in connection with the fatal shootings of State Representative Melissa Hortman and her spouse, as well as the shootings of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife earlier this month213.
The letter, described by law enforcement sources as “incoherent and hard to read,” spans about a page and a half. In it, Boelter alleges that Walz directed him to carry out the attacks so that the governor could run for the U.S. Senate—a claim that is not only baseless but also contradicted by the fact that Walz is not running for Senate and has no announced intention to do so2. Boelter further asserts that he was trained by the U.S. military “off the books,” and that Walz asked him to eliminate not only Klobuchar but also other targets, including Senator Tina Smith2.
Neither Governor Walz nor Senator Klobuchar has directly addressed the specific claims made in the letter, but both have issued statements condemning the violence and expressing gratitude to law enforcement for apprehending Boelter. “Governor Walz is thankful to the law enforcement officials who apprehended the shooter and to the prosecutors who will ensure that justice is served promptly,” said Walz’s spokesperson. Klobuchar stated, “Boelter is an extremely dangerous individual, and I am profoundly thankful that law enforcement managed to detain him before he harmed anyone else”1.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s office, while declining to comment on an ongoing investigation, noted that there is no evidence supporting Boelter’s claims about Governor Walz2. Meanwhile, conspiracy theories about the shootings have proliferated online, with some right-wing commentators and social media users spreading misinformation that Boelter was a Democrat or a high-level Walz appointee—claims that are also unsupported by facts46. Law enforcement sources and acquaintances of Boelter have described him as a conservative and strong supporter of former President Donald Trump4.
The attacks have been widely condemned as acts of targeted political violence, with Governor Walz emphasizing that “peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy” and that differences should never be settled with violence38. Authorities recovered a manifesto from Boelter’s vehicle listing multiple lawmakers and officials, prompting increased security measures across the state8.
Boelter now faces federal murder and stalking charges as the investigation continues1. The case has underscored the dangers of political violence and the rapid spread of misinformation in the wake of such incidents.
Sources:
- https://nypost.com/2025/06/21/us-news/minnesota-accused-assassin-vance-boetler-claimed-in-incoherent-letter-that-gov-tim-walz-instructed-him-to-kill-sen-amy-klobuchar-report/
- https://www.thedailybeast.com/maga-madman-vance-boelter-blames-minnesota-governor-tim-walz-for-his-murderous-rampage/
- https://www.moneycontrol.com/world/minnesota-state-lawmakers-shot-one-killed-search-underway-for-suspect-state-governor-says-article-13122385.html
- https://www.axios.com/2025/06/17/minnesota-shootings-misinformation-conspiracies-lee-moreno-musk
- https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/10/a-maga-conspiracist-is-trying-to-launch-a-lurid-lie-about-tim-walz-and-its-working/
- https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/conspiracy-theories-minnesota-shooting-suspect-b2770561.html
- https://www.ibtimes.com/minnesota-lawmaker-shot-dead-another-wounded-targeted-attack-3775681
- https://www.boston.com/news/national-news/2025/06/14/minnesota-gov-tim-walz-former-house-speaker-and-husband-killed-in-politically-motivated-shooting/
- https://uk.news.yahoo.com/minnesota-lawmaker-shot-dead-another-154825357.html
