Minnesota police praised for foiling lawmaker shooting suspect’s plan

Police interaction with alleged Minnesota lawmaker shooter Vance Boelter likely prevented the loss of more lives, Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said on Monday.

Bruley said an off-duty sergeant had heard that there was a shooting at Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman’s home and sent two officers to check on the home of Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman.

When officers arrived, Bruley said they found Boelter’s car in the driveway. 

“Had they not foiled the plan, you know, essentially took his vehicle away from him, which involved all his maps, all his names, all his weaponry. I would be very scared what it would look like over the next few hours that had we not done that,” he said during a media conference where federal charges were announced against Boelter. 

FAKE COP SUSPECTED IN LAWMAKER ASSASSINATION HAD EXTENSIVE SECURITY TRAINING BEFORE ‘TARGETED’ ATTACK

Boelter allegedly fled on foot, prompting a two-days-long manhunt that ended with him being taken into custody without incident. 

Boelter is accused of killing Hortman and her husband Mark, and shooting Hoffman and his wife Yvette in separate incidents early Saturday morning. 

Boelter allegedly arrived at both lawmakers’ homes dressed in a law enforcement-like uniform and driving a black SUV with flashing emergency lights and a license plate that read “police.” 

MINNESOTA SHOOTING SUSPECT VANCE BOELTER TO FACE FEDERAL CHARGES IN LAWMAKER ATTACKS

He is charged with two counts of stalking, two counts of murder and two counts of firearm-related crimes in federal court.

In addition to the federal charges, Boelter is facing second-degree murder charges filed in Hennepin County.

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office on Monday announced that it intends to file first-degree murder charges against the suspect.

Brooklyn Park Police did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment. 

Fox News Digital’s Julia Bonavita, Audrey Conklin, Peter D’Abrosca and Sarah Rumf-Whitten contributed to this report.