Vance Boelter texted his family that he 'went to war' on night of Minnesota shootings

Federal prosecutors have revealed that the man accused of killing Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband sent disturbing messages to his family shortly after the shootings took place.

Authorities allege that 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter fatally shot Hortman and her husband, Mark, at their home near Minneapolis.

He later wounded another Democratic state senator, John Hoffman, and Hoffman’s wife, Yvette, during an attack at their residence the same evening. The Hoffmans survived but were hospitalized after the shooting.

In a message sent to relatives in a group chat, Boelter reportedly wrote, "Dad went to war last night," according to The New York Post.

In another message sent to his wife, Boelter wrote, "Words cannot express how sorry I am for this circumstance... I don't want you guys around because there's going to be some people coming to the house armed and trigger-happy," as cited in court filings and reported by ABC News.

Boelter was apprehended late Sunday following what officials described as the largest manhunt in Minnesota’s history. According to the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Boelter crawled toward officers and surrendered after being directed to do so by SWAT units.

He made his first court appearance on Monday, where bond was set at $5 million. His next hearing is scheduled for June 27.

At a Monday press briefing, Acting US Attorney Joseph Thompson stated the incident was “the stuff of nightmares,” adding that Boelter had researched the victims and conducted surveillance on their homes before carrying out the shootings.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz described the attacks as a "politically motivated assassination" after it was revealed that Boelter had posed as a law enforcement officer to gain access to the homes. Hennepin County prosecutors confirmed that Boelter is facing first-degree murder charges.