Early Saturday morning, when a man dressed like a police officer knocked at the home of a Minnesota state legislator, marked the start of nearly 40 hours of violence and fear that swept through towns in an arc around Minneapolis.

The man charged with killing one Minnesota lawmaker and wounding another planned the shootings, a federal prosecutor said.

Officials say Vance Luther Boelter 'stalked his victims like prey.' He faces multiple state and federal charges.

The man accused of assassinating the top Democrat in the Minnesota House held deeply religious and politically conservative views, telling a congregation in Africa two years ago that the U.S. was in a “bad place” where most churches didn’t oppose abortion.

Boelter is accused of the targeted shootings killing Melissa Hortman and her husband and injuring Minnesota State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife.