Man suspected of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers in custody after surrendering to police
BELLE PLAINE: The man suspected of killing a Minnesota lawmaker and wounding another crawled to officers in surrender Sunday after they located him in the woods near his home, bringing an end to a massive, nearly two-day search that put the entire state on edge.
Vance Boelter was arrested and charged with two counts of murder and two of attempted murder. He is accused of posing as a police officer and fatally shooting former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home early Saturday in the northern Minneapolis suburbs. Authorities say he also shot Sen. John Hoffman, a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette. They were injured at their residence about 9 miles (about 15 kilometers) away.
'One man's unthinkable actions have altered the state of Minnesota,' Democratic Gov. Tim Walz said at a news conference after Boelter's arrest.
The search for Boelter was the 'largest manhunt in the state's history,' Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said. It began when Brooklyn Park officers went to check on Hortman's home and saw her husband gunned down before the shooter fled.
Authorities on Sunday located a vehicle Boelter was using abandoned in rural Sibley County, where he lived, and a police officer reported that he believed he saw Boelter running into the woods, Bruley said. Police set up a large perimeter and called in 20 different tactical teams, divvying up the area and searching for him.
During the search, police said they received information confirming someone was in the woods and searched for hours, using a helicopter and officers on foot, until they found Boelter. He surrendered to police, crawling out to officers in the woods before he was handcuffed and taken into custody in a field, authorities said.
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Hindustan Times
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Time of India
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Time of India
an hour ago
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The website emphasises: 'If you are looking for unarmed guards, please work with another service to meet your needs better.' Though not politically outspoken in public forums, Boelter was known to oppose abortion and reportedly voted for Donald Trump in 2024, according to David Carlson, a long-time friend and roommate in Minneapolis. Carlson said Boelter had shown signs of mental health strain in recent months and had recently paid four months' rent in advance, saying he 'needed rest.' Just hours before the shootings, Boelter sent Carlson a cryptic text: 'I might be dead soon.' Preaching Abroad, Struggling at Home In videos posted online, Boelter appears delivering sermons in the Democratic Republic of Congo, railing against LGBTQ+ rights and lamenting the moral decline of the West. In one sermon, he claimed America had become confused about 'what sex they are' and blamed 'the enemy' for corrupting souls. His LinkedIn page lists him as the CEO of Red Lion Group, a company supposedly operating in Congo to create local jobs. The group's legitimacy remains unverified. H e also claims to have been involved in 'security situations' in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, worked for 'the largest U.S. oil refining company,' and had stints with multinational firms based in Switzerland and Japan—claims that remain uncorroborated. Boelter and his wife previously ran a Christian non-profit, Revoformation Ministries, which described him as an ordained minister since 1993 who sought to 'share the gospel with militant Islamists.' From Civic Engagement to Extremism Despite his hardline sermons, Boelter had publicly encouraged civic engagement. In a 2018 LinkedIn post, he urged Americans to vote, writing: 'I have been in countries where people cannot elect their leaders... I am very big on just telling people to be a part of the process and vote your values.' Tragically, one of the lawmakers he targeted—Representative Hortman—was re-elected that very year. The search for Boelter continues. The FBI, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and local law enforcement have launched a statewide and federal manhunt. Helicopters, K-9 units, and tactical teams have been deployed across Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs. Officials warn Boelter is likely armed and dangerous. As the investigation widens, what remains is a deeply unsettling picture: a man who once worked on state policy and economic development now accused of waging political violence against the very system he once helped advise.
