Minnesota police have caught the man they say shot two lawmakers while masquerading as a police officer early Saturday morning.
Vance Boelter, 57, crawled out of the woods near his home in Green Isle, Minnesota, after police cornered him there Sunday night, the Associated Press reported.
Boelter allegedly shot and injured state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette at their home before going to the home of state Rep. Melissa Hortman and killing her and her husband Mark. The shootings happened around 2 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. respectively.
Brooklyn Park police went to Hortman's home as a well-being check following the Hoffman shooting. They arrived as Boelter was exiting Hortman's home and exchanged gunfire with him. Boelter fled on foot, abandoning the car he was driving. Inside the car, police found a hit list with 70 names that targeted progressive leaders, elected officials, and supporters of abortion rights, KSTP reported.
The shootings touched off the "largest manhunt in the state's history," Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said to the Associated Press.
Police believe that after the shooting, Boelter made his way to a home in Minneapolis where he stayed with friends a few times a week when he had work in the city. David Carlson, described by KARE as Boelter's best friend, discovered Boelter's car in the driveway of the home with window smashed in at 6:30 a.m. Saturday.
Carlson attempted to reach Boelter and received this response according to KARE: "I'm gonna be gone for a while...I may be dead shortly...I love you guys, and I'm sorry for all the trouble this has caused."
Following the text, Carlson called the police, who arrived and searched Boelter's room, seizing various items.
Aside from the home he stayed in Minneapolis, Boelter also had the home in Green Isle and police were also searching that area. The AP reported that on Sunday they were able to locate his car in rural Sibley County, near where he lived. The wire service reported that a police officer said he believed he saw Boelter running into the woods.
The AP reported that police set up a perimeter that included 20 tactical teams. They also deployed search helicopters. Eventually, Boelter, surrendered to officers, crawling out of his hiding space. He was booked on murder charges at 1:02 a.m. Monday.
