“I’m Going to Be Gone for a While”: Accused Minnesota Assassin’s Best Friend Reveals Final Text After Political Killings
In a story that’s rocked Minnesota and drawn national attention, the best friend of accused political assassin Vance Boelter has come forward with a disturbing final text message the suspect sent just hours after a shocking double murder and attempted political assassination.
David Carlson, 59, says he received the message from Boelter around 6 a.m. on Saturday — mere hours after former Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were found dead in their Brooklyn Park home, and just moments after Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were shot during what authorities are calling a politically motivated attack.
“I made some choices,” Boelter wrote. “I’ll be dead shortly… I love you guys.”
Carlson, who has known Boelter since the fourth grade and lived with him part-time, says the message felt like a suicide note — and a chilling admission of guilt. He immediately contacted authorities, fearing Boelter had either harmed himself or was preparing for a final confrontation with law enforcement.
A Friend Left Speechless
Carlson read the message aloud to local news reporters as he sat on the stoop of the North Minneapolis home the two shared.
“David and Ron, I love you guys. I made some choices, and you guys don’t know anything about this, but I’m going to be gone for a while. May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn’t 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.”
Carlson’s voice shook as he recalled the man he thought he knew. “He wasn’t a hateful person,” he said. “But he needed help. I just never imagined this.”
The Victims
Authorities say the rampage began around 2:08 a.m. at Sen. Hoffman’s home, where both Hoffman and his wife were shot — though miraculously survived after undergoing emergency surgery. Just over an hour later, police responded to a second scene, where Rep. Hortman and her husband Mark were found dead of gunshot wounds. Boelter reportedly exchanged fire with officers but fled the scene.
Both shootings are now under investigation as politically motivated attacks, and Boelter — a former appointee under Democratic Gov. Tim Walz — is considered the prime suspect.
Who Is Vance Boelter?
Boelter, 57, is a former military contractor and failed entrepreneur with ties to right-wing ideology. Despite his political appointment under a Democrat, his friend Carlson confirmed Boelter voted for Donald Trump and held deeply conservative views on issues like abortion.
“He was strongly anti-abortion,” Carlson noted, “but it wasn’t like… his whole personality.”
More telling, perhaps, is that Boelter had been spiraling financially for months, Carlson revealed. Failed business ventures, including a private security startup and a tech consulting firm, left Boelter desperate and increasingly isolated.
“He was looking around for work. Nothing panned out. Maybe he just gave up,” Carlson said. “Maybe he wanted to go out in a blaze of glory.”
A Mask, a Gun, and a Vanishing Act
Security footage released by the FBI shows Boelter wearing a lifelike prosthetic mask during the attacks — part of what investigators believe was a premeditated plan. He has not been seen since Saturday morning.
Adding to the mystery, Boelter’s wife was detained hours later during a routine traffic stop. Authorities discovered two passports, a large sum of cash, and a concealed weapon in her car. She has not been charged, but the investigation continues.
A Manhunt Underway
Boelter remains at large and is considered armed and extremely dangerous. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to his capture.
Minnesota State Police and federal authorities have launched a full-scale manhunt across multiple states.
“We are asking the public to remain vigilant,” said FBI Special Agent Erin Waller. “Boelter is a high-level threat and should not be approached.”
Final Words, Lingering Questions
As the nation grapples with rising political violence, the haunting words of a man who pulled the trigger — and then disappeared — remain burned into the minds of those left behind.
“He made a choice,” Carlson said. “But that choice has left families shattered. And I’m still trying to understand why.”
