Hennepin County Attorney finds John Sawchak incompetent for trial
The Brief
A Minneapolis man accused of shooting his neighbor while he was cutting a tree on his front lawn has been found incompetent to stand trial.
John Sawchak was arrested in October 2024 in the shooting of his neighbor, Davis Moturi.
It took Minneapolis police four days to get Sawchak into custody.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A Minneapolis man accused of shooting his neighbor has been found incompetent to stand trial by a second doctor.
The backstory
John Sawchak was arrested in October of 2024, accused of shooting his neighbor, Davis Moturi, who was outside doing yard work at the time. He was shot in the neck while cutting down a tree in his front yard.
The incident also sparked outrage against Minneapolis police as they took four days to get Sawchak into custody. Minneapolis City Council members wanted to know why.
What we know
The incident sparked the legislation of the Red Flag Law, which authorizes a judge to issue an Extreme Risk Protection Order that allows police to remove firearms from a person if that person is at risk of harming themselves or others.
What's next
The Hennepin County Attorney's Office withdrew its request for a competency hearing, and agreed the court should enter a finding of incompetency.
The Source
Information on the case was provided by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office on Wednesday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
As safety concerns for lawmakers grow, what security options are there?
The Brief Two Minnesota lawmakers were shot Saturday morning as part of what law enforcement officials described as a coordinated "political assassination." A Minnesota law passed in 2021 allows candidates for state office to use up to $3,000 in campaign money for home security cameras. Thirteen candidates in Minnesota used campaign funds for home security cameras, according to a FOX 9 Investigators review of campaign spending records. MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Elected officials in Minnesota are on heightened alert following the targeted shootings of two state lawmakers and a plot to target even more. Concerns over lawmaker safety While it's unclear if anything would have prevented the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers, the safety and security of state lawmakers has been a concern for years. "What's available to them, what security they have, were really inconsistent," said Gowri Ramachandran, of the Brennan Center. "It really depended on the state." About 43% of state legislators nationwide experienced threats or attacks within the past three years, according to a report by the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU. Funds for security cameras In 2021, the Minnesota Legislature passed a law allowing candidates of state office to use campaign funds up to $3,000 to pay for home security cameras. Both Democrats and Republicans supported the measure. Since the law was passed, 13 candidates have used that funding to pay for home security cameras, according to a FOX 9 Investigators review of campaign spending. "On some level, it seems small," said Gowri Ramachandran of the Brennan Center at NYU, which tracks political violence. "They may feel that they need to spend every dollar of those campaign funds on mailers or getting out with their constituents and getting to know them – so in a way, I'm not surprised." Addresses removed Following the shootings, the Minnesota State Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board removed the street addresses for all campaign finance entities, including candidates, campaign officials, and lobbyists. The removal of addresses will likely remain in place until further guidance from the Legislature.
Black America Web
5 days ago
- Black America Web
Vance Boelter, Suspect In Minnesota Lawmaker Shootings, Has Been Caught
Vance Boelter, the suspect wanted in the shootings in Minnesota that left one state representative dead, has been apprehended by authorities. Gov. Tim Walz shared the news via his social media feeds, as other major and local outlets shared details they had obtained. Local outlet Fox 9 reports that Vance Boelter, 57, was apprehended in Green Isle after authorities launched an area and statewide manhunt in attempts to bring Boelter to justice. The outlet writes that the suspect, who shot and injured Minnesota State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife in their Champlin home, later went to the home of Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and assassinated her and her husband Mark Hortman. CNN writes that Gov. Walz addressed Minnesotans about the arrest of Boetler, who has been revealed to be a former security guard who recently appeared to be struggling to make ends meet. Boelter posed as a police officer when he visited Sen. Hoffman's home, and used the guise again at Rep. Hortman's home. Driving an SUV that was fashioned to look like a law enforcement vehicle, investigators on the scene uncovered a manifesto that seems to illustrate Boelter was out for blood and had a hit list to settle. Online, the chatter of Boelter is focused on his alleged right-wing political ties. A rumor that has since been debunked attempted to connect Walz to Boelter, and some tried to frame Boelter as a hard-left Democratic Party voter. As the news is still developing, there are sparse reactions on the X social media platform regarding the arrest of Vance Boelter. We'll share those comments below and will make updates as needed. — Photo: Getty Vance Boelter, Suspect In Minnesota Lawmaker Shootings, Has Been Caught was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
New York Post
5 days ago
- New York Post
Minnesota suspected assassin Vance Boelter captured alive: report
Suspected political assassin Vance Luther Boelter was captured Sunday following an intense manhunt for the gunman accused of murdering a Minnesota state lawmaker and wounding another, according to a report. Boelter, a 57-year-old former appointee by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, was sought by police for allegedly shooting Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, and fatally shooting former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband. He was arrested and taken into custody in a field in Sibley County Sunday night, sources told local station Fox 9. The alleged gunman disguised himself as a police officer, wearing a uniform, vest and creepy Halloween mask when he launched his attack in the northern Minnesota suburb. 5 Vance Luther Boelter is accused of shooting two Minnesota state politicians on June 14, 2025. Minnesota Department of Public Safety Boelter's rampage began at State Senator Hoffman's Champlin home around 2 a.m. on Saturday. The crazed gunman fired off multiple rounds, striking the 60-year-old Democrat and his wife multiple times, seriously wounding the couple. Yvette Hoffman had jumped on top of her daughter, Hope, shielding her from the bullets, the couple's nephew said. John and Yvette Hoffman underwent surgery and are in stable condition. After the first shooting, Boelter — still disguised — raced to the home of Speaker Emerita Hortman in Brooklyn Park. He fatally wounded Hortman and her husband Mark with multiple shots. 5 The political assassin dons a Halloween mask and uniform at the home of Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman. FBI 5 Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were shot multiple times. Mat Ollig/Facebook Hortman, a 55-year-old Democrat, was pronounced dead inside her home. Her husband died at a nearby hospital. Police, conducting a check on Hortman after being alerted to the shooting at the Hoffman's home, confronted the masked killer as he left the Brooklyn Park home. Officers fired at the cop impersonator, at one point cornering the gunman inside the home, but the suspect managed to escape. 5 Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman at the White House Christmas Party in December 2024. Melissa Hortman/Facebook 5 Boelter seen wearing a hat after the shooting. HANDOUT/MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Boelter sent a text to his best friends and roommate after the shootings, allegedly admitting to the heinous killings. '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. 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,' Boelter told David Carlson, according to KARE. Boelter's wife, Jenny Boelter, was pulled over and detained by police while driving with relatives on Saturday morning and was questioned by authorities for her role in the shooting. Police found passports and a weapon in the car.
