Vance Boelter arrested near Green Isle home, ending 43-hour manhunt
Authorities have captured 57-year-old Vance Boelter near his Green Isle home, several sources confirmed to 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reporter Tom Hauser.
Boelter is believed to be responsible for fatally shooting Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband. He also shot Sen. John Hoffman and his wife.
On Sunday evening, a car which police thought Boelter was in was spotted in Green Isle and later found to be abandoned, according to Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley.
Several hours later, an officer saw Boelter run into the woods, at which point a “large-scale” perimeter was set up. He was later arrested, and sources tell 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reporter Jay Kolls that a neighbor saw Boelter on a trail camera on Sunday and then alerted the 20 SWAT teams that were at the scene. That exclusive photo can be found below.
Law enforcement says Boelter was armed when he was taken into custody, adding he crawled to them as he surrendered Sunday night in a wooded area about a mile from his home. Police then took the below photo as they led Boelter to a squad car, officially ending their manhunt.
Authorities say they are “fairly confident” that Boelter acted alone in the shootings. He was being interviewed before being brought to the Hennepin County Jail, where he is as of Monday morning. Boelter is expected in court at 1:30 p.m. Monday, according to the jail roster.
“Why would he come back here? It’s kind of baffling, but of course, you can’t really get into someone’s head like that to start with,” a neighbor at the scene told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS.
Watch the press conference with Governor Walz, Brooklyn Park police and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) below.
The Hoffman family sent a statement on Sunday night:
First and foremost, John and I hold a deep and profound gratitude for the work of our law enforcement agencies and the public for their help in bringing the suspect to justice, while diligently keeping our communities safe during this extremely difficult and senseless event.
John and I are both incredibly lucky to be alive. We continue our healing journey and are humbled by the outpouring of love and support our family has received from across the state and our nation.
There is never a place for senseless political violence and loss of life. We are devastated by the loss of Melissa and Mark, and our hearts go out to all those who knew and loved them both. We are always at our best when we unite together.
The Hoffman Family
Lawmakers and others sounded off on Boelter’s arrest late Sunday night, and issued the following statements:
“Thank you to all in law enforcement who worked relentlessly to locate and arrest this suspect. It was a mammoth and heroic effort.”
U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota)
“I’m grateful that this nightmare has come to an end with the suspected murderer captured alive so he can be charged, prosecuted, and punished for the horror he has wrought on our state. Thank you to the brave men and women of local, state, and federal law enforcement who have worked around the clock to ensure this evil man faces justice.”
House Speaker Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring)
“They got him. My hope is that this news will provide a modicum of comfort tot he loved ones of the Hortmans and the Hoffmans tonight. The public will rest a little easier knowing that the shooter is in custody. Thank you to law enforcement for your hard work and effort in pursuit of justice for those impacted. The pain of this evil act of violence was made worse by a heinous right-wing misinformation campaign, amplified by public figures who abused their platforms and spread it. There is no place in our politics for those who condone political violence, nor for those who spread outrageous lies about it for their own personal or political gain.”
Minnesota DFL Chair Richard Carlbom
A previous version of this report can be found below.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension previously stated at a news conference that there was a nationwide warrant out for his arrest.
Sunday saw law enforcement descend upon Sibley County, where a vehicle tied to Boelter was discovered. Details about what was found during law enforcement’s search of the area have not been made public as of this report.
Boelter, according to authorities, posed as a police officer early Saturday morning and shot state representative Melissa Hortman and state senator John Hoffman and their spouses.
Hortman and her husband, Mark, were both killed in the attack. Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were both taken to the hospital where they underwent surgery.
Governor Tim Walz says he was “cautiously optimistic” about their recovery.
On Saturday, authorities established a shelter-in-place order around Brooklyn Park as they searched for Boelter; that order was later lifted after it was determined he was no longer in the area.
Boelter is described as a white man with brown hair who was most recently seen wearing a light-colored cowboy hat, a dark, collared jacket, light pants and a dark bag. He is around 6 feet, 1 inch tall and weighs approximately 220 pounds.
Authorities are asking residents not to approach the suspect if spotted. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact the BCA tipline at 877-996-6222 or to email bca.tips@state.mn.us.
Federal authorities, including the FBI and the ATF St. Paul, are assisting with the investigation.
On Saturday, authorities said they had seized Boelter’s vehicle as well as a list of names, which appeared to be potential targets.
Sources tell 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that all 201 state lawmakers were under protective custody Saturday morning.