Minnesota Shooting Suspect Vance Boelter Arrested After Two-Day Manhunt

GREEN ISLE, Minn. — Vance Luther Boelter, the 57-year-old suspect accused of fatally shooting Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and wounding State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, was arrested late Sunday night, June 15, 2025, in a field near Green Isle in Sibley County, Minnesota, authorities confirmed. The arrest ends a nearly two-day manhunt that gripped the state and sparked widespread concern over politically motivated violence.

According to KSTP 5 Eyewitness News, Boelter was spotted near a residence in Green Isle before being apprehended by law enforcement in a nearby field. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which had been leading the search, confirmed the arrest but provided few details about the circumstances of his capture. The FBI had previously offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to Boelter’s arrest and conviction, underscoring the urgency of the case.

The shootings, described by authorities as “politically motivated,” occurred in the early hours of Saturday, June 14, 2025. Boelter, allegedly posing as a police officer and wearing a latex mask, is accused of killing Rep. Hortman and her husband at their Brooklyn Park home around 3:35 a.m. Hours earlier, at approximately 2:00 a.m., he allegedly shot Sen. Hoffman and his wife at their residence in Champlin, leaving both critically injured. The Hoffmans are recovering, with Yvette Hoffman reported as awake and alert, according to FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Boelter’s arrest follows an intensive search that included the discovery of his abandoned vehicle, a Buick sedan, in Faxon Township near Minnesota Highway 25 on Sunday morning. Authorities also found a cowboy hat matching one Boelter was seen wearing in FBI-released CCTV footage. A manifesto and a hit list containing 50 to 70 names, including prominent Minnesota Democrats, were reportedly found in the vehicle, raising fears of further planned attacks. A second hit list with additional targets was later discovered at one of Boelter’s properties, according to the Daily Mail.

Boelter, a former appointee to the Governor’s Workforce Development Board under Governor Tim Walz in 2019 and the Workforce Development Council under former Governor Mark Dayton in 2016, was employed as the director of security patrols for Praetorian Guard Security Services, a company that advertised “police-type vehicles” and tactical equipment. This role may have provided him access to uniforms and gear that facilitated his alleged impersonation of a law enforcement officer.

The suspect’s wife, Jennifer Lynee Boelter, was detained for questioning on Saturday after a traffic stop in Onamia, Minnesota, where authorities found passports, cash, and a weapon in her vehicle. While she has not been charged in connection with the shootings, her detention added to the complexity of the investigation.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who had urged the public to avoid political rallies out of caution, expressed relief at Boelter’s arrest. “Our state has been through a traumatic ordeal, but the swift action of law enforcement has brought this suspect into custody,” Walz said in a statement reported by NBC News. The governor also extended condolences to the Hortman family and support to the recovering Hoffmans.

The shootings have fueled national debates over political violence, with some social media posts on X prematurely labeling Boelter as a “radical leftist” due to his past appointments by Democratic governors. However, a friend of Boelter, David Carlson, told the Times of India that Boelter was a Trump supporter, highlighting the conflicting narratives surrounding his motives. Authorities have not publicly confirmed Boelter’s political affiliations, emphasizing that the investigation remains ongoing.

Boelter faces state charges of murder and attempted murder, as well as a federal warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.

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