Man Who Shot Dead US Lawmaker and Her Husband Arrested

Man Who Shot Dead US Lawmaker and Her Husband Arrested

Police in Minnesota have arrested 57-year-old Vance Boelter, the suspect in the fatal shooting of former state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark. The arrest came Sunday after a two-day manhunt across the state. Authorities confirmed Boelter was taken into custody without the use of force.

Minnesota State Patrol Lieutenant Colonel Jeremy Geiger said at a press conference that Boelter surrendered peacefully. “There was no use of force by any member of law enforcement,” he stated.

The killings have drawn national attention, with former President Donald Trump and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi condemning the incident as “horrific violence” and promising full prosecution for those responsible.

Governor Tim Walz confirmed the deaths of Hortman and her husband at their home near Minneapolis. In a visibly emotional statement, he also revealed that State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were wounded in a separate shooting incident earlier that day. Both remain hospitalized, and Walz said officials are “cautiously optimistic” about their recovery.

Calling the attack “an act of targeted political violence,” Walz emphasized that such actions have no place in a democratic society. “Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don’t settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint,” he said.

According to Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the violence began when Hoffman and his wife were shot. Approximately 90 minutes later, as police responded to that scene, Hortman and her husband were killed nearby. Boelter managed to evade officers after an exchange of gunfire at Hortman’s residence but was eventually captured.

The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to determine the motive behind the attacks.