Man Posing as Officer Shoots Lawmakers, Charged with Murder

Early on a Saturday morning, the individual responsible for the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers arrived at their homes. He was equipped with a handgun and a significant amount of tactical gear. This included a black tactical vest, a badge, a flashlight, and a Taser. He drove a black S.U.V. that had flashing police lights.

According to Mark Bruley, the police chief of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, the appearance was designed to deceive. He stated that anyone encountering the individual would likely believe he was a police officer. This statement was made shortly after the shootings, as law enforcement began their search for a suspect.

By Monday, state and federal authorities had filed murder and other charges in connection with the case. The suspect, Vance Boelter, a Minnesota resident, was in the process of establishing his own private security company.

The shootings were part of a pattern of crimes where individuals gained the trust of their victims by impersonating law enforcement. Examples of this type of crime include a prank caller who impersonated a police officer to convince a McDonald's manager to conduct a strip search of an employee in 2004. Another case involved a man who was convicted of murder after using flashing lights on his S.U.V. to pull over and kill a man in Long Island in 2005.