Joaquin Castro says he was on alleged Minnesota assassin’s hit list

U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro’s name was among the politicians on alleged Minnesota assassin Vance Boelter’s hit list, the Express-News reports.

Castro told the daily that U.S. Capitol Police informed his chief of staff early Sunday about his potential targeting. The San Antonio Democrat also said police dispatched a vehicle to guard him and his family at their Northwest San Antonio home prior to Boelter’s Sunday night arrest.

Boelter allegedly shot and killed Democratic Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark at their home. Authorities say he also traveled to a nearby neighborhood and shot and wounded Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette in their home. The Hoffmans are both expected to make a full recovery.

Boelter, 57, evaded capture when police arrived on the scene, abandoning what authorities described as a fake police vehicle. Inside, police reportedly found a target list that included the names of Minnesota officials as well as some elected to federal office, including Castro, 50, who’s in his seventh House term.

The list, which included some 45 names in total, also included community leaders along with abortion clinics, according to multiple news reports.

Texas Rep. Veronica Escobar announced on Twitter Monday that she was also on the target list.

After a nearly two-day manhunt, Boelter was captured in a wooded area near his home in Green Isle, Minnesota. The Hennepin County prosecutor intends to pursue first degree murder charges against Boelter, the Minnesota Reformer reports. Boelter, now in county lock-up in Minneapolis, was also charged with six federal offenses including stalking, murder and firearms charges. The federal murder charges are eligible for the death penalty.

On the day of the shootings, Boelter also allegedly visited the homes of two more Minnesota state lawmakers, including Sen. Ann Rest and another whose name remains undisclosed.

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This article appears in Jun 12-25, 2025.