A dramatic two-day manhunt for Minnesota shooting suspect Vance Luther Boelter ended on Monday when authorities caught him in a rural field near Green Isle, in Sibley County.
Boelter, 57, had been wanted after a weekend of fatal shootings. Police first spotted him Saturday near a residence in the small farming community, dressed in black and carrying a backpack. When officers closed in, he ran down a driveway and disappeared into woods nearby, sparking an all-out and anxious search effort.
In scenes that suggested a suspense thriller, Boelter evaded officers by curling up into a fetal ball inside the dense underbrush and inking his way through the leaves with an army crawl. The wooded area was soon cordoned off, with fear setting in among nearby residents as the search effort dragged on.
The breakthrough in manhunt occurred when movement was detected by a radar drone operated by police from above. With the realization that he could no longer hide, Boelter surrendered without struggle, raising his hands and walking slowly towards law enforcement officers.
Who Is Vance Luther Boelter?
Boelter is accused of killing State Representative Melissa Hortman and her spouse, Mark, at their Brooklyn Park residence. The brutality was not over yet, he allegedly attacked State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in another episode of violence. Both shootings were reported early on Saturday morning at approximately 2 a.m.
Media reports describe Boelter as a seasoned security expert with experience in conflict zones. His resume includes high-level appointments: in 2019, Governor Tim Walz named him to the Governor’s Workforce Development Board. Earlier, in 2016, then-Governor Mark Dayton had appointed him to the Governor’s Workforce Development Council.
As the investigation unfolds, officials are piecing together how a man with such a professional resume ended up as the main suspect in a case that rocked Minnesota’s political and public safety spheres.