THE SUSPECT IN THE KILLING OF A MINNESOTA STATE LAWMAKER AND SERIOUSLY WOUNDING ANOTHER EARLY SATURDAY IS NOW IN POLICE CUSTODY AFTER A MANHUNT THAT LASTED NEARLY TWO DAYS.
57-YEAR-OLD VANCE BOELTER OF GREEN ISLE, MINNESOTA WAS CAPTURED ABOUT 50 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MINNEAPOLIS SUNDAY NIGHT AFTER BEING SPOTTED ON A TRAIL SUNDAY BY A CAMERA.
AUTHORITIES SAY BOELTER WAS ARMED WHEN HE WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY.
THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE SAID MONDAY AFTERNOON THAT BOELTER HAS BEEN CHARGED BY FEDERAL COMPLAINT WITH STALKING AND MURDERING FORMER MINNESOTA HOUSE SPEAKER MELISSA HORTMAN AND HER HUSBAND, IN ADDITION TO STALKING AND SHOOTING MINNESOTA STATE SENATOR JOHN HOFFMAN AND HIS WIFE.
ACCORDING TO COURT DOCUMENTS, BOELTER, WITH FIREARMS AND BODY ARMOR, DISGUISED HIMSELF AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, AND DROVE TO THE HOME OF SENATOR HOFFMAN WHERE HE KNOCKED ON THE DOOR REPEATEDLY, CLAIMING TO BE A POLICE OFFICER.
SHORTLY AFTER THE HOFFMANS OPENED THE DOOR, THEY WERE ALARMED TO REALIZE BOELTER WAS WEARING A FACEMASK AND TRIED TO CLOSE THE DOOR ON BOELTER, BUT BOELTER REPEATEDLY SHOT BOTH SENATOR AND MRS. HOFFMAN.
BOELTER THEN DROVE TO THE HOME OF THE HORTMANS.
OFFICERS ARRIVED PERFORMING A SAFETY CHECK AFTER HEARING OF THE FIRST SHOOTINGS AND SAW BOELTER FIRING SEVERAL GUNSHOTS STRIKING THE HORTMANS.
OFFICERS PROVIDED MEDICAL AID TO THE HORTMANS AND ATTEMPTED TO PURSUE BOELTER, WHO ABANDONED HIS SUV AND FLED, INITIALLY, ON FOOT.
Updated 2:33 p.m. 6/16/25
