Red Deer RCMP arrest man in two stolen vehicles over one and a half days

Red Deer, Alberta – A Red Deer man appears in court today after RCMP arrested him in two different stolen vehicles within the space of a day and a half. In court, he will also speak to a theft file from the summer in the downtown, in which he was arrested during the commission of a theft by the Red Deer RCMP Crime Reduction Team and then later arrested again in the December warrant round-up.

Shortly before 8 pm on January 28, RCMP located the suspect in a stolen vehicle parked in a busy north Red Deer lot, thanks to a tip from the public. RCMP blocked the vehicle in to prevent it fleeing and endangering pedestrians and drivers in the parking lot; the male suspect got out of the vehicle and was arrested without incident. RCMP seized methamphetamine from the suspect during his arrest. The vehicle had been stolen that morning out of Red Deer when it was left running and unlocked.

Brandon Loughlin was released on January 29 on a $2,500 no cash recognizance to appear in court on February 2. A condition of his release was that he was banned from being in any vehicle without the registered owner present

At 6 am on January 30, Red Deer RCMP responded to a report of a vehicle that had been stolen when it was left running and unlocked. RCMP located the vehicle with support from OnStar, and had OnStar shut the vehicle down slowly at a location where police determined there would be no danger to other drivers or pedestrians. Once the vehicle was stopped, the suspect, identified as Brandon Loughlin, attempted to flee on foot but was arrested after a brief foot chase.

Brandon Loughlin was then remanded to appear in court in Red Deer on both stolen vehicle files on February 1 at 9:30 am.

During his court appearance today, Loughlin will also speak to charges on a file from June 30, 2017, where he was arrested in downtown Red Deer after a member of the Red Deer RCMP crime reduction team on patrol in the downtown observed him stealing a bicycle and arrested him. Loughlin failed to appear in court on that file and a warrant was issued for his arrest; the warrant was executed by Red Deer RCMP during the warrant round-up in December, and Loughlin made his first court appearance on the theft of bicycle file on January 11.

20 year old Brandon Robert Loughlin faces the following charges with relation to all the above-noted files:

· Criminal Code 355(a) – Possession of stolen property over $5,000 X 2

· Criminal Code 334(b) – Theft under $5,000

· Criminal Code 145(3) – Fail to comply with conditions

· Criminal Code 145(5) – Fail to comply with conditions

· Criminal Code 430(4) – Mischief under $5,000

· CDSA 4(1) – Possession of Schedule I substance (methamphetamine)

“This series of incidents demonstrates the importance of our Pinpoint crime reduction strategies and their focus on prolific offenders. It also highlights our commitment to public safety and the importance of community engagement,” says Inspector Gerald Grobmeier of the Red Deer RCMP. “This suspect was arrested thanks to crime reduction strategies like our downtown patrols, and our successful warrant round-ups. During both stolen vehicle arrests, RCMP employed strategies to minimize potential harm to the public, and one of the arrests was thanks to a vigilant citizen who recognized the stolen vehicle from a social media page. A successful approach to crime reduction involves a lot of complex elements, and I’m pleased to see how many were used to maximum effect in this series of files.”

RCMP remind citizens that criminals prowl neighbourhoods and business parking lots across the city looking for easy theft opportunities. While police recognize that vehicles need to warm up in the winter months, they advise that vehicles should not be left unattended, that they always be locked and without valuables left inside, and that citizens consider investing in theft prevention devices

Related Topics:Arrest feature Red Deer RCMP

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Crime

Minnesota shooter arrested after 48-hour manhunt

Published on June 16, 2025

Todayville

MxM News

Quick Hit:

Vance Luther Boelter, accused of killing former Minnesota State House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, was captured Sunday after leading law enforcement on a 48-hour manhunt.

Key Details:

Boelter allegedly began his rampage around 2 a.m. Saturday at Sen. Hoffman’s Champlin home, shooting both the senator and his wife, Yvette. The couple survived after emergency surgery.
He then traveled to Rep. Melissa Hortman’s Brooklyn Park home, where she was pronounced dead at the scene and her husband died shortly afterward at a hospital.
The suspect reportedly sent a farewell message to friends before fleeing and was later arrested in a Sibley County field Sunday night.

Sources provided this photo of Boelter from the scene after his arrest. pic.twitter.com/q4F9uPkm53

— Liz Collin (@lizcollin) June 16, 2025

Diving Deeper:

Vance Luther Boelter, the man accused of carrying out a targeted shooting of Democrat lawmakers in Minnesota, was taken into custody Sunday night following a 48-hour manhunt that spanned multiple counties. According to a report from Alpha News, Boelter was arrested in a field in rural Sibley County after evading police for more than a day following the deadly shootings.

Boelter, 57, previously served as an appointee under Gov. Tim Walz and is accused of murdering former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and injuring State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. Authorities say Boelter disguised himself as a police officer—complete with a uniform, ballistic vest, and Halloween mask—before launching the coordinated attacks early Saturday morning.

The violence began just after 2 a.m. when Boelter allegedly entered the Hoffman residence in Champlin and opened fire. Both the senator and his wife were struck multiple times. Their daughter, Hope, was reportedly shielded from the gunfire by her mother. The couple’s nephew confirmed that both John and Yvette Hoffman underwent surgery and were listed in stable condition by Sunday.

From there, Boelter allegedly drove to Brooklyn Park and carried out a second attack at the home of Speaker Emerita Hortman. The 55-year-old lawmaker was found dead inside the home, while her husband was transported to a hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.

Brooklyn Park police officers, alerted by the earlier incident, arrived as Boelter was leaving the Hortman residence. A standoff ensued, with officers briefly cornering the suspect inside the house and opening fire, though Boelter managed to flee.

Boelter reportedly sent a chilling text message to close friends. “David and Ron, I love you guys. I made some choices, and you guys don’t know anything about this, but I’m going to be gone for a while,” he wrote. “May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn’t gone this way.”

Crime

Former Tim Walz appointee wanted for Minnesota shootings

Published on June 15, 2025

Duane Rolheiser

MxM News

Quick Hit:

Vance Luther Boelter, a former appointee of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, is wanted for Saturday’s targeted shootings that killed a state lawmaker and seriously injured another.

Key Details:

Authorities say Boelter first shot Sen. John Hoffman and his wife at their Champlin home before killing former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband in nearby Brooklyn Park.
Dressed in police-style gear, Boelter reportedly exchanged gunfire with officers before retreating from the scene and escaping.
Investigators found a list of targeted politicians, including Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, as well as anti-Trump flyers reading “No Kings.”

Diving Deeper:

Law enforcement sources said Saturday that Vance Luther Boelter, 57, is the primary suspect in a string of targeted shootings that left former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband dead, and Sen. John Hoffman and his wife hospitalized. First reported by The Blaze, Boelter—a former appointee of both Gov. Tim Walz and former Gov. Mark Dayton—has not yet been apprehended.

The violence began early Saturday morning in Champlin, where the gunman reportedly posed as a police officer, dressed in black body armor and carrying a Taser, badge, and radio. Surveillance footage showed him knocking on the Hoffmans’ front door while wearing a cowboy hat and wielding a flashlight. The couple was shot multiple times and rushed into surgery. Both are expected to survive.

Shortly after the Champlin attack, police were dispatched to check on Hortman’s Brooklyn Park residence. According to Police Chief Mark Bruley, officers encountered what looked like a marked police vehicle in her driveway and a man in uniform exiting the home. When they approached, the man opened fire and retreated into the house. Officers returned fire but did not apprehend him. Hortman, 55, was found dead inside, alongside her husband. Their family dog, Gilbert, was also shot.

Police say Boelter left behind a manifesto naming 70 individuals—ranging from elected officials like Walz and Flanagan to abortion providers and Planned Parenthood affiliates.

The suspect also carried “No Kings” flyers, referencing a national day of protest against President Donald Trump. These same flyers were promoted online as part of anti-Trump demonstrations across the country on Saturday. In response to the shootings, the Minnesota State Patrol urged residents to stay home.

Boelter reportedly ran a private security firm, Praetorian Guard Security Services, which offered armed patrols for a steep monthly fee. He held appointments under two Democrat governors—first in 2016 on the Workforce Development Council, and again in 2019 when Gov. Walz tapped him for the state’s Workforce Development Board.

His apparent political motivations are under review, especially following recent controversy surrounding Hortman’s vote to strip state health benefits from illegal immigrants. Just days before her murder, Hortman had broken with her party to side with Republicans on the issue—providing the deciding vote after a tense budget standoff. “They’re right to be mad at me,” she told reporters after the vote, acknowledging anger within her caucus.