The suspect in the shooting of four people, including two high-ranking Minnesota politicians, has been detained in the woods near Green Isle, Minnesota after a “complex and dangerous manhunt,” according to Gov. Tim Walz.
A number of SWAT teams were in the area after law enforcement received a tip before Vance Boelter, 57, was taken into custody, according to Minnesota Superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Drew Evans.
The suspect crawled to law enforcement teams and was ultimately taken into custody, according to Minnesota State Patrol Assistant Chief Jeremy Geiger. Boelter was armed, Evans confirmed.
“There is no question this is the largest manhunt in the state’s history,” Brooklyn Park Police Mark Bruley said.
Boelter is accused of shooting and killing House Speaker Emeritus Melissa Hortman and her husband in what Gov. Tim Walz called a politically-motivated assassination early Saturday.
State Sen. John Hoffman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, and his wife also were shot about 2 a.m., and Hortman and her husband were found about 90 minutes later.
“One man’s unthinkable actions have altered the state of Minnesota,” Walz said.
Walz said that Hoffman came out of his final surgery and is healing and the “heroic actions” of the Hoffmans and their daughter Hope saved many lives.
The gunman allegedly escaped through a back door of Hortman’s house following an exchange of gunfire with police. Media outlets reported that Boelter had a list of about 70 names in his vehicle which included the lawmakers who were shot, other lawmakers and abortion providers.
“Boelter exploited the trust our uniforms are meant to represent,” Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson said.
• The is an updated version of the story published earlier below:
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Authorities on Sunday say they found the car of the man wanted in connection with the shootings of two Minnesota state lawmakers and their spouses, killing one of the couples. The suspect, Vance Boelter, 57, was not with the car.
Drew Evans with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said Sunday authorities are seeking the public’s help locating Boelter, who is considered armed and dangerous.
“We are asking for the public’s help at this point in time in locating Vance Luther Boelter, who is a 57-year-old white male, 6 feet 1 inches tall, 220 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes,” Evans said. “We still don’t know if additional people are involved, but this individual is the one that we are looking as a person of interest now.”
Boelter’s wife was reportedly stopped near Onamia, Minnesota, on Saturday and found with a weapon, ammunition, cash and passports, according to KSTP Channel 5. KSTP reported that Boelter’s wife was the subject of a traffic stop at a convenience store located near Onamia late Saturday morning in a vehicle carrying at least three other relatives of the accused shooter.
Authorities also think Boelter is no longer in the area of the shootings and issued an alert to South Dakota authorities.
House Speaker Emeritus Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed early Saturday in what Gov. Tim Walz called a politically-motivated assassination.
State Sen. John Hoffman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, and his wife also were shot about 2 a.m., and Hortman and her husband were found about 90 minutes later.
The gunman allegedly escaped through a back door of Hortman’s house following an exchange of gunfire with police. Media outlets reported that Boelter had a list of about 70 names in his vehicle which included the lawmakers who were shot, other lawmakers and abortion providers.
The shootings happened seven miles away from each other, and law enforcement officials have called both shootings “targeted.”
Boelter was appointed by Walz to serve on the Governor’s Workforce Development Board in 2019. Various media outlets reported that he is the director of Praetorian Guard Security Services, where he had access to police-like security equipment.
The FBI said it is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest of Boelter.
