The man suspected of killing a Minnesota lawmaker and wounding another crawled to officers in surrender on Father’s Day (June 15). Officials located Vance Boelter in the woods near his home, ending a massive, nearly two-day search. Police arrested Boelter and charged him with two counts of murder and two of attempted murder. Aside from those state charges, federal prosecutors have also hit Vance with federal murder and stalking offenses.
RELATED: FBI Identifies Vance Boelter As Suspect In Shooting Of Minnesota Lawmakers Melissa Hortman, John Hoffman, Offers Reward (UPDATE)
Vance allegedly posed as a police officer and fatally shot former Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. The incident occurred at their home early Saturday (June 14) in the northern Minneapolis suburbs. Authorities say Vance also shot Sen. John Hoffman, a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette. They were also injured at their residence, about 9 miles (about 15 kilometers) away from the Hortmans. The FBI previously offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction.
What To Know About The Manhunt For Vance Boelter
Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said the search for Boelter was the “largest manhunt in the state’s history.” The search began when Brooklyn Park officers went to check on Melissa Hortman’s home and saw her husband gunned down. The shooter, Boelter, fled the scene after exchanging gunfire with police.
However, on Sunday, authorities located a vehicle that Boelter was using. Bruley said that the car was abandoned in rural Sibley County. That’s where Vance lived. Additionally, a police officer reported seeing Boelter running into the woods. 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. They searched for hours, using a helicopter and officers on foot, until they found Vance Boelter.
Vance surrendered to police, crawling out to officers in the woods before cops handcuffed him and took him into custody in a field. Jail records show Boelter was booked into the Hennepin County Jail at 1:02 a.m. Central Time Monday. His booking includes two mug shots, one from the front and one from the side. In them, he’s wearing an orange prison shirt.
After Vance Boelter’s arrest, Democratic Gov. Tim Walz held a news conference and said, “One man’s unthinkable actions have altered the state of Minnesota.”
John Hoffman’s Daughter Called 911 After Finding Parents Shot
Drew Evans said Vance Boelter’s violence would’ve likely continued if the Brooklyn Park offices had not checked on Hortman’s home. Evans is the superintendent of the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Authorities said Boelter posed as a police officer, even allegedly altering a vehicle to make it look like a police car.
Boelter attacked John and Yvette Hoffman first at their home in Champin early Saturday. Officials unsealed a criminal complaint after his arrest, which revealed that the Hoffmans’ adult daughter is the one who called 911 just after 2 a.m. on Saturday. She told the dispatcher that a masked person had come to the door and shot her parents.
After police in nearby Brooklyn Park learned that a gunman had shot a lawmaker, they sent patrol officers to check on Melissa Hortman’s home. Officers arrived just in time to see Vance Boelter shoot Mark Hortman through the open door of the house, per the complaint. Also, it notes that Vance and officers exchanged gunfire, causing him to flee inside the home before escaping the scene. The complaint said that officers found Melissa Hortman dead inside the house.
Officials Still Investigating Motive, But Believe Vance Had Other Targets
According to the Associated Press, a list of about 70 names was found in writings officials recovered from the fake police vehicle Boelter left at the crime scene. The writings and list of names included prominent state and federal lawmakers and community leaders, along with abortion rights advocates and information about health care facilities.
At a press conference on Monday (June 16), federal prosecutor Joseph Thompson revealed that Vance visited two other targets before the Hoffmans and Hortmans. However, one of the other lawmakers was on vacation. Boelter also left the other house after police arrived early Saturday. Authorities declined to name the two other elected officials whom Boelter allegedly stalked but who escaped harm.
Thompson added that Vance meticulously planned out the attacks. Aside from the police gear, he also executed surveillance missions and collected notes about the homes and people he targeted. He allegedly had many notebooks full of plans and attempts to locate the addresses of his victims and their family members.
Still, authorities have not found any writings that would “clearly identify what motivated him,” per Thompson. Though the targets were Democrats and elected officials, Thompson said it was too soon to speculate on any political ideology. Meanwhile, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Minneapolis field office believes politics was a factor.
“This was a targeted attack against individuals who answered the call to public service,” Alvin Winston said. He added that the resulting manhunt for Vance was the largest search for a suspect in Minnesota’s history.
#1
Texts From Vance Boelter To His Wife & Loved Ones Revealed
#2
Yvette Hoffman Provides Update On Her Husband’s Health After Being Shot 9 Times
