Minnesota shooting suspect Vance Luther Boelter apprehended after 48-hour dramatic manhunt

Vance Luther Boelter, the fugitive at the centre of a state-wide manhunt following the fatal shootings of State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, has been apprehended, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz confirmed on Monday, June 16.Boelter’s arrest ends a tense 48-hour search. A drone was hovering silently above a thick brush near Green Isle in Sibley County and then it spotted him.
Moments later, Boelter, clad in black and clutching a backpack, slowly emerged from the undergrowth, arms raised in surrender.
According to TV and radio broadcaster KSTP, the fugitive had been on the run through fields and wooded terrain after being seen near a home in Sibley County earlier.Boelter, 57, is accused of carrying out two targeted shootings on June 14 that killed Rep. Hortman and her husband Mark and seriously injured State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette.

Authorities say he posed as a police officer to gain access to the victims’ homes, wearing a uniform and latex mask captured on FBI surveillance footage.

A former appointee under Democratic governors Mark Dayton and Tim Walz, Boelter once served on Minnesota’s Workforce Development Council and Board, with his last known term ending in January 2023. His professional background includes roles in retail, food production, and private security.

Officials have confirmed the discovery of politically charged materials in Boelter’s possession, including a manifesto, protest leaflets, and a list of Democratic politicians and abortion rights activists—indicating a broader plot.

The FBI had issued a $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.