MN lawmaker shootings: Vance Boelter texted roommates, 'I may be dead shortly'

Authorities search Minneapolis home where Vance Boelter lived part-time

Authorities searched a north Minneapolis home on the 4800 block of Fremont Avenue Saturday afternoon where Vance Boelter lived part-time while he took jobs. His roommate tells FOX 9's Mary McGuire Boelter texted him at 6 a.m. Saturday saying, "I made some bad choices, I may be dead soon."

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Vance Boelter was at a Minneapolis home on Saturday morning where he rented a room part-time, and texted his roommates, I made some bad choices, I may be dead soon.

FOX 9 is learning more about 57-year-old Boelter, who is a suspect in two shootings that left a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband dead, and injured another lawmaker and his wife Saturday morning.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST: Minnesota lawmaker shootings: Vance Boelter manhunt enters Day 2

Vance Boelter rents room in Minneapolis home

Friend of Vance Boelter: 'He really hated abortion' in the 90s

David Carlson, a friend of Vance Boelter, spoke with FOX 9 about the Minnesota lawmaker shooting suspect. Boelter texted them Saturday morning, "David and Ron, I love you guys. I’ve made some choices and you guys don’t know anything about this, but I’m going to be gone for a while. I’ll be dead shortly. So I just want to let you know that I love you guys both. And wish it hand’s gone this way. I don’t want to say anything more, and implicate you in any way because you guys don’t know anything about this, but I love you guys and I’m sorry for all the trouble this has caused."

What we know:

Authorities say Vance Boelter is the suspect in the shootings of Minnesota lawmakers Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman. Hortman and her husband were killed, and Hoffman and his wife were injured.

In the hours after the shooting, FOX 9’s Mary McGuire has learned Boelter went to a Minneapolis home on the 4800 block of Fremont Avenue where he rented a room part-time. He sent a text to his roommates saying, "David and Ron, I love you guys. I’ve made some choices and you guys don’t know anything about this, but I’m going to be gone for a while. I may be dead shortly. So I just want to let you know that I love you guys both. And wish it hand’s gone this way. I don’t want to say anything more, and implicate you in any way because you guys don’t know anything about this, but I love you guys and I’m sorry for all the trouble this has caused."

Police served a search warrant at the home in connection with the investigation, and used battering rams to get inside the home.

Friend shares Vance Boelter's text: 'I'll be dead shortly'

Boelter had vehicles at the home, and broke out one of the windows, but it’s not clear if he left the area in one of the vehicles. Authorities say the image of him wearing a cowboy hat is from surveillance cameras at the Minneapolis home.

The renters are back at the home Saturday evening, cleaning up damage. They also told FOX 9 his main family home is in Green Isle, and he’s married with five kids, and has several pets.

The roommate tells FOX 9 he has known Boelter for more than 40 years, since fourth grade, and didn't express a lot of strong political views. He did, however, have strong views on abortion. Authorities also found receipts for items used in Saturday morning's shootings in one of his vehicles at the Minneapolis home.

Timeline of what happened

MN lawmaker shooting: The latest, timeline of what happened

Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were fatally shot in Brooklyn Park. Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were also shot in what police are calling a targeted attack.

Timeline:

Here's a look at the timeline of what we know so far:

About 2 a.m. on June 14

A 911 call in Champlin was made at about 2 a.m. Saturday. Police then found that Minnesota Sen. Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, had been shot. Both Hoffman and his wife are recovering from gunshot wounds after undergoing surgery at the hospital. Yvette Hoffman dove in front of her child to protect her from the gunman.

3:35 a.m. June 14

Brooklyn Park police officers then "proactively" went to the home of Rep. Hortman, authorities say. It was there that they encountered the suspect, who was dressed up as an officer with a fake police vehicle. The suspect opened fire on officers, but the suspect fled. In the suspect's vehicle, authorities found a manifesto with lawmakers' names on it and papers with "No Kings" written on them.

5:30 a.m. June 14

The shelter-in-place alert was sent at 5:30 a.m. by BPPD for the 3-mile radius around the Edinburgh Golf Course.

Around 6 a.m. June 14

Vance Boelter briefly returned to a home near 49th and Fremont in Minneapolis, where he rented a room part-time. He texted two of the roommates that he had made some bad choices, he doesn't want to implicate them, and he may be dead soon. He did have vehicles at the home and broke out one of the windows, but it's unclear if he took one of those vehicles before he fled. The image of Boelter in the cowboy hat is from the surveillance cameras at this home. The renters have been allowed back inside the home.

Around 9:45 a.m. June 14

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced at a press conference that Hortman and her husband had died after being shot. Walz said they're "cautiously optimistic" about Hoffman and his wife's recovery.

Around 11 a.m. June 14

Authorities and Gov. Walz urged people to not attend any political rallies until the suspect is apprehended.

Around 11:30 a.m. June 14

Champlin authorities say there is no current threat to public safety in the city.

Before 1 p.m. June 14

The Associated Press identified Vance Luther Boelter, 57, as the suspect. He was appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton in 2016 and then by Gov. Walz in 2019 to the bipartisan workforce development board. His term expired in 2023.

About 1:30 p.m. June 14

Police clear the scene at Hoffman's house in Champlin.

Around 1:45 p.m. June 14

Police served a search warrant at a home near 49th and Fremont in Minneapolis in connection with the investigation. Authorities used battering rams to get inside. Those who are renting the home told FOX 9 Boelter was a part-time renter of a room in the home.

Around 2 p.m. on June 14

Law enforcement in Green Isle sent tactical units to a home about 5 miles southeast of town as part of the manhunt to find Boelter. Boelter has a home in Green Isle.

3 p.m. on June 14

Authorities named Vance Boelter as a "person of interest" and suspect in the case, and asked for the public's help in locating him.

3:20 p.m. on June 14

Brooklyn Park authorities have cleared the shelter-in-place order. But an alert sent to people living in the area asks people to call 911 if you see something suspicious. Police will still be in the area collecting evidence. Meanwhile, Mercy Hospital remains on lockdown.

3:50 p.m. on June 14

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner released the initial reports for the Hortmans, saying Melissa Hortman, 55, and Mark Hortman, 58, both died of multiple gunshot wounds. A time of death was not listed, but the report says Mark Hortman died at North Memorial Hospital, while Melissa Hortman died at her home.