MINNEAPOLIS MANHUNT: LARGEST IN MINNESOTA HISTORY ENDS WITH SUSPECT'S ARREST
Arrest made in connection to slaying of Minnesota legislator
After a relentless two-day manhunt, law enforcement officials in Minneapolis-St. Paul cornered the suspect, 57-year-old Vance Boelter, on June 15, 2025, following a deadly double homicide of a Democratic state lawmaker and her husband.
House Democratic Leader Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were brutally gunned down early on June 14. Boelter, clad in a pseudo-cop uniform, was accused of the heinous crime. The suspect also allegedly attacked two others, State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, who are now recovering from severe injuries.
The manhunt, labeled as the "largest in Minnesota's history," saw as many as 20 SWAT teams and several agencies pooling resources to find the elusive Boelter. Agencies from Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, to local and federal authorities, and even the public took part in this widespread endeavor.
Boelter was finally traced and captured in Sibley County, a rural area southwest of the Minneapolis suburbs, where the murders took place. Governor Tim Walz praised the collaboration that led to Boelter's apprehension, calling it "a victory for justice."
The capture, which occurred without the use of force, came after a chaotic search that rattled the political scene in Minnesota. Boelter was well-known in Minnesota political and public safety circles, serving on the Governor's Workforce Development Board since 2019. Before the shootings, he was the CEO of a residential armed home security company, Praetorian Guard Security Services.
The manhunt had roused concerns over possible further threats against lawmakers, given the politically motivated nature of the crime. Authorities emphasized, however, that they have moved one step closer to justice for the Hortmans and the Hoffmans, and that the collaborative effort of multiple agencies and community support played a pivotal role in apprehending the suspect.
Inside a car left at the Hortmans' home, a notebook containing the names of other lawmakers and potential targets was found, although authorities describe this as not a "traditional manifesto." The investigation continues to uncover more details about this heinous crime and the motives behind it.
[1] CNN[2] Associated Press[3] Local CBS News[4] The New York Times[5] People Magazine
- The high-profile manhunt for Vance Boelter, which ended with his arrest, intensified the general-news discussions on politics as it exposed a chilling element of crime-and-justice, particularly given Boelter's position within Minnesota political circles.
- The ongoing investigation into the heinous double homicide of melissa Hortman, a democratic state lawmaker, and her husband Mark is providing insights into the complex intersection of crime-and-justice and politics, by revealing the potential politically motivated motives behind the killing.
