A member of the far-right extremist group “Boogaloo Bois” has been accused of inciting violence at a George Floyd protest this May. According to CBS Minnesota, 26-year-old Ivan Harrison Hunter is charged with one count of interstate travel to incite a riot for allegedly opening fire on the south Minneapolis police headquarters, looting and setting fire to the building.
Federal court documents say that Hunter, who is from Texas, messaged other Boogaloo Bois on Facebook about their plans to travel to Minneapolis. The federal complaint, released on Friday (Oct. 23), states that once in Minneapolis, Hunter shot 13 rounds at the Minneapolis Police Third Precinct with an AK-47-style gun.
Two hours later, Hunter also allegedly texted with a fellow Boogaloo member in California, who has been accused of killing a Federal Protective Services Officer and a sheriff’s deputy. Hunter also wrote about his involvement in the violence and referred to himself as a “terrorist” on social media, the federal complaint states.
“Lock and load boys. Boog flags are in the air, and the national network is going off,” he wrote in one post.
“The Boogaloo Bois are a loosely connected group of individuals who espouse violent anti-government sentiments,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office wrote in a statement on Friday. “The term ‘Boogaloo’ itself references an impending second civil war in the United States and is associated with violent uprisings against the government.”
“This case falls within the purview of the Attorney General’s Task Force to Combat Violent Anti-Government Extremism. Launched in June 2020, the Task Force is dedicated to supporting the investigation and prosecution of any person or group who commits violence in the name of an anti-government ideology,” the statement added.
Hunter was arrested in San Antonio, Texas on Wednesday (Oct. 21) and made his first court appearance on Thursday (Oct. 22). The Star Tribune notes that Hunter is the third Boogaloo member to be charged with inciting violence at the Minneapolis protests.