The man suspected of murdering a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband is scheduled to appear in court Monday on felony charges, following an intense two-day manhunt.
Authorities allege that 57-year-old Vance Boelter impersonated a police officer before fatally shooting Democratic State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, at their home in the early hours of Saturday.
Boelter was apprehended in Sibley County—a rural area roughly an hour southwest of the Minneapolis suburbs where the killings took place—according to law enforcement and state officials.
“After two long days and sleepless nights, law enforcement has successfully captured Vance Boelter,” Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced during a late-night press briefing.
Authorities confirmed Boelter was taken into custody peacefully, without the use of force, after what they described as the largest manhunt in state history, involving 20 SWAT teams and multiple law enforcement agencies.
His arrest followed a tip from a local resident whose security camera footage matched Boelter’s description, according to reports from local media citing police sources.
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SWAT teams converged on the area and used drones to identify the suspect’s location. Boelter attempted to evade arrest but officers crawled through ditches in the area’s farm fields to confine him, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported.
Boelter is also suspected of shooting state Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette in their home. They survived and were treated for serious injuries, authorities said.
“The latest news is Senator Hoffman came out of his final surgery and is moving toward recovery,” Walz told reporters.
According to U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, Melissa Hortman was shot nine times, while her husband, Yvette, sustained eight gunshot wounds.
Vance Boelter now faces two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder, with each charge carrying a potential sentence of up to 40 years, as outlined in court documents.
He remains in custody at the Hennepin County Jail and is slated to make his first court appearance at 1:30 p.m. local time (1830 GMT) on Monday, according to jail records.