Vance Boelter, the man suspected of fatally shooting a Minnesota state representative and her husband and wounding a state senator and his wife, was arrested Sunday night, ending a nearly two-day manhunt.
State prosecutors plan to charge Boelter, who is being held at the Hennepin County Jail on a $5 million bond, with first-degree murder and attempted murder charges. He could also face federal charges.
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Boelter was arrested in a wooded area of Sibley County, about 60 miles southwest of Minneapolis, after authorities responded to a tip about a possible sighting. As officers closed in, Boelter reportedly followed commands, crawled toward them and surrendered.
"Just down at the scene where he was taken into custody, there were 20 different SWAT teams, over an extremely large area, hunting this individual down," said Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley.
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Authorities had been in the area for much of the day after a vehicle linked to Boelter was found abandoned.
Authorities believe Boelter fatally shot state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, at their home early Saturday morning, after first shooting Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their residence several miles away.
Boelter allegedly impersonated a police officer and wore a latex mask to disguise his identity during at least one of the attacks, investigators said.
"Boelter exploited the trust our uniforms are meant to represent," said Bob Jacobson, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. "That betrayal is deeply disturbing to those of us who wear the badge with honor and responsibility."
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Authorities credited officers who conducted a wellness check at Hortman’s residence after being alerted to the earlier shooting at Hoffman’s home. Officials said the officers encountered Boelter at the Hortman residence, where he reportedly opened fire on them before fleeing.
Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, believes that encounter was critical to stopping Boelter’s rampage.
"I have every confidence that this would have continued throughout the day," Evans said. "By his officers encountering him ... it forced him to abandon the vehicle at that time and led to what we got to today."
Authorities said they found writings inside that vehicle with dozens of names, including those of politicians and abortion rights advocates, that could have been potentially targeted.
Part of the ongoing investigation will include whether anyone assisted Boelter. Authorities interviewed his wife and other family members, who were reportedly cooperative.
"We continue to look at all angles of this, and everybody who did help him, we will certainly hold them accountable," Evans said.
