Minnesota shooting suspect in custody after manhunt

(NewsNation) — Minnesota shooting suspect Vance Luther Boelter was captured Sunday evening in a rural region of the state after a multiagency dragnet closed in on him following a tip about his whereabouts, law enforcement officials said.

Boelter, 57, had been the subject of an intense manhunt since Saturday, after he allegedly shot two Democratic state legislators and their spouses at their homes while disguised as a police officer — killing Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband and seriously wounding Sen. John Hoffman and his wife. He was captured in Sibley County, in south central Minnesota.

The charging documents indicate Hoffman’s daughter was the one who called 911 and alerted police to the shooting.

“The suspect crawled to law enforcement teams and was placed under arrest at that point in time. There was no use of force by any member of law enforcement that was out there,” Lt. Col. Jeremy Geiger of the Minnesota State Patrol said at a news conference.

Boelter has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder, per Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office documents. His first court appearance is scheduled for Monday afternoon.

Boelter allegedly impersonated a police officer and was driving a vehicle that resembled a police SUV at the time of the shootings, authorities said. Surveillance images show the suspect wearing a full mask over his head.

Police in Brooklyn Park, Minn., where Hortman and her husband were ambushed at home early Saturday, said they encountered an individual who fired at them. There was an exchange of gunfire, and the individual escaped on foot.

Earlier in the morning, Hoffman and his wife were shot and wounded at their home in nearby Champlin.

Capture of Minnesota shooting suspect was a team effort

Authorities credited the coordination of local, county, state and federal agencies and the use of drones and other technology with the capture of Boelter, who they said was armed at the time of his arrest.

“There’s no question that this is the largest manhunt in the state’s history,” Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said. “Just down at the scene where he was taken into custody, there were 20 different SWAT teams over an extremely large area, hunting this individual down to take him into custody.”

A vehicle and a hat connected to Boelter were recovered early Sunday morning in Sibley County, Supt. Drew Evans of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said. Police said they had obtained a notebook that included a list of names of lawmakers from Midwestern states and other potential targets.

Reports have suggested Boelter was opposed to abortion and stalked his victims based on their opposite stances. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz earlier in the weekend characterized Hortman’s killing as “a politically motivated assassination.”

Sunday evening, Walz said the U.S. finds itself at “a moment in the country where we watch violence erupt” over clashing ideologies.

“This cannot be the norm. It cannot be the way that we deal with our political differences,” he said.

Minnesota shooting suspect’s family interviewed

Police had been concentrating their search in Sibley County and weren’t aware of the suspect trying to reach another state or country, such as Canada, Evans said.

He said police interviewed Boelter’s wife and other family members as a routine part of the investigation. He said they were cooperative and none were taken into custody.

When asked if Boelter received assistance, Evans replied: “He’s certainly been in contact with individuals.”

Did Minnesota shooting suspect have help evading police?

Retired Houston Police Department detective Fil Waters told “NewsNation Now” on Sunday that evidence suggests Boelter received “some assistance at some point in this operation that he conducted.”

“When you have two different vehicles, obviously he cannot be driving both vehicles at the same time … It would suggest to me that there’s somebody that was at least facilitating his possible escape,” Waters said.

Trump’s response to shooting of Minnesota lawmakers

President Donald Trump had pledged federal resources to help find the alleged shooter.

“Our Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and the FBI, are investigating the situation, and they will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law. Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!” he wrote on social media.

Speaking to ABC News on Sunday, Trump said he had not yet contacted Walz but was considering it despite their differences.

“Well, it’s a terrible thing,” Trump said of the assassination. “I think he’s a terrible governor. I think he’s a grossly incompetent person. But I may, I may call him, I may call other people too.”

Anti-abortion group denounces Minnesota shooting

In response to the shootings, anti-abortion organization Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life issued a statement clarifying that the attacks are “antithetical” to its values.

“We are horrified to learn of the assassination of Rep. Melissa Hortman and the shooting of Sen. John Hoffman. We join with Minnesotans across the state in praying for the victims and their families.

“While we do not yet know the motivations of the shooter, his actions are completely antithetical to the mission of MCCL and the pro-life movement. MCCL has always worked peacefully to advance protections for the vulnerable and has always deplored and unequivocally condemned violence. We pray that the shooter will be swiftly caught and brought to justice.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.