Authorities have identified a suspect in a shooting incident that occurred early in the morning in Minnesota, where a Democratic lawmaker and her spouse were fatally shot, and another lawmaker along with his wife sustained injuries. The individual, Vance Luther Belter, 57, is being sought due to his alleged involvement in the attack, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
Belter is reportedly the CEO of the Red Lion Group, based in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as Praetorian Guard Security Services. Meanwhile, the family of Belter and the organization Minnesota Africans United have not responded to requests for comment.
Belter mentioned on his LinkedIn that he has been working on projects with the Red Lion Group in Central Africa for the past three years. He holds a degree in international relations from St. Cloud University and a PhD from Stritch University Cardinal for his contributions to learning and community service.
In the recent shootings in Brooklyn Park, Democrats—specifically DFL Chairman Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Hortman—were killed by assailants posing as police officers. Governor Tim Waltz labeled the incident as “targeted political violence.” In a separate related shooting, DFL Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were shot in Champlin; thankfully, they are expected to recover without the need for surgery.
State Police Colonel Christina Bogojevich urged citizens not to participate in a statewide protest planned for Saturday. She mentioned that while there’s no indication the suspect was specifically targeting the protest, a collection of “king” flyers linked to the gunmen was discovered in a vehicle associated with the incidents.
This story is still developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.
