Man suspected of shooting 2 Minnesota lawmakers caught, AP sources say
Share this @internewscast.com

A suspect in the fatal shooting of a Minnesota lawmaker and the wounding of another has been apprehended, according to two officials from law enforcement, concluding a tense two-day manhunt that gripped the state.

Authorities arrested Vance Boelter on Sunday evening. This development was confirmed by officials who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity, as they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation publicly. The former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were found dead in their Brooklyn Park residence in the early hours of Saturday, located in the northern part of Minneapolis suburbs. Additionally, Democratic Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were injured at their home in Champlin, about 9 miles (approximately 15 kilometers) away.

Boelter was captured in Minnesota, though officials didn’t immediately say where.

A criminal complaint revealed on Sunday night charges Boelter with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder for the deaths of the Hortmans and the injuries to Hoffman and his spouse.

The Hoffmans were attacked first at their home in Champin early Saturday. After police in nearby Brooklyn Park learned of that shooting, they sent patrol officers to check on the Hortmans’ home.

Brooklyn Park police officers arrived just in time to see Boelter shoot Mark Hortman through the open door of the home, the complaint says. It says they exchanged gunfire with Boelter, who fled inside the home before escaping the scene.

The complaint indicates the shooting at the Hoffmans’ home was called in by their adult daughter.

A massive search

Earlier Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said authorities found a car very early Sunday they believed Boelter was using, a few miles from his home in Green Isle, in the farm country about an hour west of Minneapolis. He also said they found evidence in the car that was relevant to the investigation, but did not provide details.

Authorities named Boelter, 57, as a suspect, saying he wore a mask as he posed as a police officer, even allegedly altering a vehicle to make it look like a police car.

Evens confirmed that investigators found a cowboy hat near the vehicle and believe it belonged to Boelter. The superintendent also said authorities interviewed Boelter’s wife and other family members in connection with Saturday’s shootings. He said they were cooperative and were not in custody.

The FBI had issued a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction.

More than 100 law enforcement officers including SWAT teams were searching the area, including nearby homes, Evans said. He also said they had received more than 400 tips from the public.

The earlier search happened in rural Sibley County, roughly 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest of Minneapolis, where Boelter had a home with his wife and five children. Residents in the area received an emergency alert about the located vehicle that warned them to lock their doors and cars.

The shootings come as political leaders nationwide have been attacked, harassed and intimidated amid deep political divisions. Lawmakers said they were disturbed by the attacks as Twin Cities residents mourned.

Brightly colored flowers and small American flags were placed Sunday on the gray marbled stone of the Minnesota State Capitol along with a photo of the Hortmans. People scrawled messages on small notes including, “You were our leader through the hardest of times. Rest in Power.”

Pam Stein came with flowers and kneeled by the memorial. An emotional Stein called Hortman an “absolute powerhouse” and “the real unsung hero of Minnesota government.”

No details on motive

Authorities have not yet given details on a motive.

A list of about 70 names was found in writings recovered from the fake police vehicle that was left at the crime scene, the officials said. The writings and list of names included prominent state and federal lawmakers and community leaders, along with abortion rights advocates and information about healthcare facilities, according to the officials.

Evans clarified that while he described the materials on Saturday as a “manifesto,” the papers were not a political or ideological treatise. He said it was more of a notebook, listing lawmakers and other people, with various thoughts mixed in. He declined to give details.

A Minnesota official told AP lawmakers who had been outspoken in favor of abortion rights were on the list. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.

The attacks prompted warnings to other state elected officials and the cancellation of planned “No Kings” demonstrations against President Donald Trump, though some went ahead anyway, including one that drew tens of thousands to the State Capitol in St. Paul. Authorities said the suspect had “No Kings” flyers in his car.

Boelter is a former political appointee who served on the same state workforce development board as Hoffman, records show, though it was not clear if or how well they knew each other.

Around 6 a.m. Saturday, Boelter texted friends to apologize for his actions, though he didn’t say what he had done.

“I’m going to be gone for a while. May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn’t gone this way. … I’m sorry for all the trouble this has caused,” he wrote in messages viewed by AP.

Two Democrats targeted

On Sunday evening, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar shared a statement from Yvette Hoffman expressing appreciation for the outpouring of public support.

“John is enduring many surgeries right now and is closer every hour to being out of the woods,” Yvette Hoffman said in a text that Klobuchar posted on social media. “He took 9 bullet hits. I took 8 and we are both incredibly lucky to be alive. We are gutted and devastated by the loss of Melissa and Mark.”

On social media, Gov. Tim Walz remembered Hortman on Sunday as, “The most consequential Speaker in state history.”

Hortman, 55, had been the top Democratic leader in the state House since 2017. She led Democrats in a three-week walkout at the beginning of this year’s session in a power struggle with Republicans. Under a power-sharing agreement, she turned the gavel over to Republican Rep. Lisa Demuth and assumed the title speaker emerita.

Hortman used her position as speaker in 2023 to champion expanded protections for abortion rights, including legislation to solidify Minnesota’s status as a refuge for patients from restrictive states who travel to the state to seek abortions — and to protect providers who serve them.

The couple had an adult son and an adult daughter.

Hoffman, 60, was first elected in 2012 and was chair of the Senate Human Services Committee, which oversees one of the biggest parts of the state budget. He and his wife have one adult daughter.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like
Top US Democrats don't even dare denounce Zohran Mamdani's extremism

Leading US Democrats hesitate to condemn Zohran Mamdani’s radical views

Much like frogs being gradually boiled, Democratic Party leaders throughout the United…
The Max Fried phone call that led to Tarik Skubal getting All-Star start

How a Call from Max Fried Paved the Way for Tarik Skubal’s All-Star Start

Before Tarik Skubal learned he’d be the American League’s starter at the…
Man carrying a bag walks up steps towards a building with cars parked in the background.

Putin Assassination Team Neutralized Following Brazen Daylight Murder of Ukrainian Special Ops Leader with Silenced Firearm

UKRAINE claims to have killed two Russian FSB agents suspected of assassinating…

Wildfire Destroys Historic Lodge at Grand Canyon, Officials Report

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — A historic lodge on the Grand Canyon’s North…
Kanye West slams ex-assistant's 'absurd' sexual assault claims

Kanye West Denies Former Assistant’s ‘Outrageous’ Sexual Assault Allegations

Kanye West has responded to the updated lawsuit filed by his former…
Marine hopeful found dead on roadside after holiday party may have been 'beat to death,' lawsuit claims

Lawsuit Suggests Marine Hopeful May Have Been ‘Beaten to Death’ After Holiday Party, Found Dead on Roadside

A young Marine candidate from Oklahoma, who was tragically discovered dead and…
Israel, Hamas talks drag as aid group chair tells UN to stop acting like the ‘mafia’

US-Backed Gaza Aid Group Unveils Innovative System for Direct Family Food Delivery

EXCLUSIVE – Facing accusations that its distribution approach compels civilians to travel…
Mets draft Mitch Voit, who went viral for cocaine-snorting celebration

Mets Select Viral Sensation Mitch Voit, Known for Celebrating with Bold Cocaine-Snorting Gesture

Mitch Voit made a name for himself long before his first-round MLB…
Top Ukrainian spy gunned down in Kyiv ambush attack: report

Ukraine Reports Killing Russian Agents Linked to Senior Officer’s Ambush and Death

Ukraine’s security agency said Sunday they have located and killed two Russian…
Cleveland Browns rookie RB Quinshon Judkins arrested in Fort Lauderdale

Cleveland Browns’ New RB Quinshon Judkins Arrested in Fort Lauderdale

The Browns took Judkins with the 36th overall pick in the 2025…
Suspect shoots trooper, opens fire at Kentucky church leaving multiple people injured

Trooper Shot by Suspect Who Also Fired at a Kentucky Church, Injuring Several People

Authorities in Kentucky are investigating an officer-involved shooting with a suspect who…
French right-wing National Rally party HQ raided by police in 'harassment operation'

French Police Raid National Rally Party Headquarters in Alleged Harassment Action

The headquarters of the French right-wing National Rally party were searched on…