Fact Check: Vance Boelter Arrested for Killing Melissa Hortman
What We Know
On June 15, 2025, Vance Boelter, a 57-year-old man, was arrested following a two-day manhunt after he allegedly shot and killed Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband. He is also accused of wounding another state lawmaker, Senator John Hoffman, and his wife during the same incident. The attacks occurred early on June 14, 2025, at the homes of the lawmakers in the Minneapolis suburbs. Authorities described the shootings as targeted acts of political violence, with Governor Tim Walz condemning the events as "unspeakable" and calling for justice (NPR, The New York Times).
Boelter was apprehended in a wooded area near Green Isle, Minnesota, after a large-scale search involving multiple law enforcement agencies. He was reportedly armed at the time of his arrest and had previously impersonated a police officer during the attacks (BBC, Reuters). Investigators found a "hit list" of 45 elected officials, all Democrats, in his possession, indicating premeditated intent to target specific lawmakers (NPR, The New York Times).
Analysis
The claim that Vance Boelter was arrested after a two-day manhunt for the murder of Melissa Hortman and the wounding of another lawmaker is supported by multiple credible sources. NPR reported that Boelter was captured after what was described as the largest manhunt in Minnesota's history, which involved hundreds of law enforcement officers (NPR). The New York Times corroborated this information, detailing the timeline of events and confirming the charges against Boelter, including two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder (The New York Times).
The reliability of these sources is high; NPR and The New York Times are well-established news organizations known for their journalistic standards. The BBC and Reuters also provided consistent reporting, further validating the claims made about Boelter’s actions and the subsequent manhunt (BBC, Reuters). There is no significant evidence contradicting the main points of the claim.
Conclusion
The claim that Vance Boelter was arrested after a two-day manhunt for killing Melissa Hortman and wounding another Democratic state lawmaker and his wife is True. The evidence from multiple reputable sources confirms the details of the incident, the nature of the attacks, and the subsequent arrest of Boelter.
Sources
- Vance Boelter captured, charged in shooting of Minnesota lawmakers - NPR
- Minnesota Manhunt and Arrest: What We Know - The New York Times
- Man suspected of shooting Minnesota lawmakers crawled to police after - BBC
- Minnesota suspect attempted to kill two other state - BBC
- Suspect in Minnesota lawmaker killing visited other - Reuters