Two Texas Democrats on list of 45 lawmakers targeted by Minnesota gunman

Two Texas legislators have confirmed they were included in a list of 45 lawmakers targeted by the man accused of killing a former Minnesota House speaker and her husband Saturday.

Reps. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, and Joaquin Castro, D-San Antonio, were on a "hit list" reportedly made by Vance Boelter, 57, who targeted Democratic office holders and is accused of killing Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband and shooting two others on Saturday, as reported by The Texas Tribune.

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Boelter also allegedly wounded Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman and his wife separately. Boelter was taken into custody Sunday evening after being located in the woods near his home in Minnesota, CBS News reports.

Since the shootings, it has emerged that Boelter has ties to North Texas. He attended Christ for the Nations Institute, an interdenominational Bible college, the school confirmed. He was there from 1988 to 1990.

In a statement, the college said it has had no contact with Boelter since his 1990 graduation.

"We are absolutely aghast and horrified that a CFNI alumnus is the suspect. This is not who we are. This is not what we teach. This is not what we model," representatives of the college said in a statement to CBS News.

Escobar posted on X Monday afternoon that she was notified by Capitol Police Sunday morning that her name was also on the targeted list.

She said in addition to the shootings in Minnesota, over the weekend protesters were shot in Utah, a person drove a car into a Virginia protest, threats were made against state lawmakers in Austin and a man pointed a gun at protesters in El Paso, according to her post.

"All of these instances are jarring reminders that right-wing extremism has a foothold in our country," she said in the X post. "Politically motivated violence, and violence of any kind have no place in our democracy and we have a role to play in moving our country toward healing."

Escobar represents the 16th congressional district, based in El Paso, and has been in office since 2019.

Katherine Schneider, Castro's communications director, confirmed the San Antonio Democrat was also included in the list. The San Antonio Express News reported there was additional security at his home this weekend following the shootings in Minnesota.

On X Saturday, he called the deaths of Hortman and her husband a heartbreaking loss.

"This violence should be condemned by every American," he said in the post.

Castro represents Texas' 20th congressional district and has been in office since 2013.