Minn. shooting suspect Vance Boelter ran bogus security company and faced struggles after prolonged stint in Africa, roommate says

Suspected assassin Vance Boelter fronted a security firm his best friend said never existed and experienced “struggles” after returning from a three-year trip to Africa months before he allegedly turned his gun on a pair of Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses.Federal and state authorities are on the hunt for Boelter, 57, who allegedly disguised himself as a cop before executing former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home early Saturday, just prior to shooting and seriously wounding state Sen.John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in their house.Authorities are closing in on Boelter after his car was found in a rural area near his home — and neighbors reported hearing gunshots.Friends and roommates described the accused gunman as a quiet but intelligent family man who rarely discussed politics.But behind the unassuming façade lurked hints of a growing trouble within, which began after a three-year stint in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he claimed to have multiple business interests tied to his security company, Red Lion Group.“I thought his demeanor [changed], he wasn’t as cheerful as he used to be.

Since he got back from Africa, I guess,” Boelter’s roommate and self-described best friend David Carlson told The Post, adding he got back four months ago and quit his job to go there.“He came back and he was struggling a little bit.I thought it was normal struggles.”Boelter calls himself the CEO of Red Lion Group on his LinkedIn page, where he lists the company’s home base as the Democratic Republic of Congo.

But besides the passing reference, virtually no information is available about the company.“His dream was to have a security company,” Carlson said, hinting that his dream was more rooted in delusion than reality.“He never was or never had a security company.He wasn’t doing security for anybody — it wasn’t his job.”Carlson noted that Boelter even had two official cars for the alle...