Minnesota shootings latest: Suspect who targeted lawmakers arrested and charged with murder after two-day manhunt

Boelter appeared to be impersonating a police officer when he arrived at the home of Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife in Champlin shortly after 2 a.m. Saturday, according to a criminal complaint unsealed after his arrest.

He knocked on the door and announced himself as a police officer before entering the house, the complaint says.

Officers were dispatched to the homes of other lawmakers, including to the home of Rep. Hortman in nearby Brooklyn Park.

When officers arrived at 3:55 a.m., they found a Ford SUV with “police style lights” and “immediately” recognized the suspect, according to the complaint.

Officers then saw him fatally shoot Mark Hortman at the front door of the home.

Police then exchanged gunfire with the suspect as he fled inside.

Opening the press conference, Gov. Walz said that violence cannot be the way that the country deals with political differences.

“Now is the time for us to recommit to the core values of this country, and each and every one of us can do it,” he said. “Talk to a neighbor rather than arguing, debate an issue, shake hands, find common ground.”

The alleged suspect had a list featuring lawmakers from across the Midwest, and was said to hold extreme anti-abortion views.

Boelter, the suspect in the Minnesota shootings, was armed when he was taken into custody, officials confirmed. They declined to stay what kind of weapon he had.

He is now being interviewed at an unnamed law enforcement agency.

A criminal complaint unsealed upon Boelter’s apprehension states he stands charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.

During Sunday’s press conference, Drew Evans, the superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said FBI will review whether federal charges should be brought as well.

Sen. John Hoffman is out of his final surgery and is now recovering, Gov. Tim Walz confirmed Sunday night. His wife, Yvette, is also on the road to recovery.

The first 911 call was made by one of the children of John and Yvette Hoffman after they were shot multiple times, according to a criminal complaint seen by the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Walz said the Hoffman’s daughter, Hope, “saved countless lives” during his late-night press conference by making the call.

Suspect Vance Boelter was captured in Sibley County, Minnesota, which is about 70 miles from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, where the fatal shootings took place.

According to the Minnesota Star Tribune, a Sibley County resident reported that their trail camera captured an image that “was consistent with Boelter” at around 7 p.m. Sunday.

Boelter evaded capture for a further hour in a forest, before peacefully surrendering to officials. He was taken to the Sibley County Jail by the Brooklyn Park Police Department.

“There’s no question that this is the largest manhunt in the state’s history,” Mark Bruley, the Brooklyn Park Police Department chief, said on Sunday night.

He’ll be joined by Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson; the superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Drew Evans; and local law enforcement officials, his office said.

Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office has shared a photo of the alleged gunman, seemingly taken shortly after he had been captured.

“The face of evil,” the post read. “After relentless and determined police work, the killer is now in custody. Thanks to the dedication of multiple agencies working together along with support from the community, justice is one step closer.”