Heavily armed and dressed in tactical armor with a silicone mask hiding his face and a police-style badge, Vance Boelter made a convincing police officer – so much so that a real police officer mistook him for a fellow cop.

The FBI released an image of Vance Boelter, a suspect in the shooting of Minnesota lawmakers. A $50,000 reward is offered for info leading to his arrest.

Boelter claimed to have a doctorate of education, and said he spent extensive time in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa — where he was seen in videos apparently preaching on stage.

Minnesota is on edge after two coordinated shootings left Democratic lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband dead, and state Senator John Hoffman and his wife hospitalised. Authorities have identified the suspect as 57-year-old Vance Boelter,