A 57-year-old man named Vance Boelter has been taken into custody in Minnesota two days after US politician Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Horton were shot and killed. Authorities had warned the public not to approach Boelter, as they believed he could be armed and had been impersonating a police officer. The shooting of the Hortmans occurred at their Minneapolis home, with the victims being found with multiple gunshot wounds. Boelter is also accused of shooting and injuring Democrat Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their nearby home. A massive manhunt was launched after the incident, which Minnesota Governor Tim Walz described as a “politically motivated assassination.”
Records show that Boelter is a father of five and a former political appointee who served on the same state workforce development board as Mr. Hoffman, although the extent of their acquaintance is unclear. Mr. Hoffman, a 60-year-old, runs a consulting firm, while Mrs. Hortman, a 55-year-old mother of two, served as the top house Democratic leader in the Minnesota legislature and as speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives. Mrs. Hortman was known for her work in championing protections for abortion rights, including laws to make Minnesota a safe haven for individuals traveling from restrictive states to seek abortions.
Senator Hoffman has so far survived nine gunshot wounds and is undergoing multiple surgeries. Both he and his wife said they felt incredibly lucky to be alive. The motive behind the killings remains unclear.
Source: https://news.sky.com/story/suspect-in-shooting-of-minnesota-politicians-captured-after-manhunt-13383911
