Fact Check: Vance Luther Boelter was taken into custody on Sunday evening after a day-long manhunt and charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder.

Fact Check: Vance Luther Boelter Arrested and Charged with Murder

What We Know

Vance Luther Boelter, a 57-year-old man, was apprehended on Sunday evening following a significant manhunt that lasted approximately 43 hours. He has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder in connection with the shootings of Minnesota lawmakers. Specifically, Boelter is accused of killing former state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, while also attempting to kill state senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, who survived the attack with serious injuries (NPR, BBC, CBS News).

Authorities indicated that Boelter had a "hit list" of 45 elected officials, all Democrats, and had been planning the attacks for several months. He allegedly posed as a police officer during the attacks, using a vehicle equipped with emergency lights and a fake police license plate (NPR, Reuters).

Analysis

The claim that Vance Luther Boelter was taken into custody after a day-long manhunt and charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder is partially true. While it is accurate that he was arrested following a significant manhunt and charged with the aforementioned crimes, the context surrounding these charges is crucial.

Boelter has also been charged with additional federal offenses, including first-degree murder, which complicates the narrative of him being charged solely with state-level second-degree offenses (New York Times). The sources reporting on this incident, including NPR and the BBC, provide consistent details about the events leading up to his arrest and the nature of the charges against him. However, the initial claim simplifies the legal situation by not mentioning the federal charges that could carry more severe penalties.

The reliability of the sources is generally high, as they come from established news organizations with a history of accurate reporting. However, it is essential to note that the evolving nature of legal cases means that details may change as more information becomes available.

Conclusion

The verdict on the claim is Partially True. While Vance Luther Boelter was indeed taken into custody after a day-long manhunt and charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder, the full scope of the charges against him includes more serious federal offenses. This nuance is significant and should be acknowledged when discussing the case.

Sources

1. US police arrest suspect Vance Luther Boelter for ...
2. The suspect in the shooting of 2 Minnesota lawmakers had ...
3. What we know about the attack on two Minnesota lawmakers
4. Minnesota Manhunt, Arrest and Murder Charges: What We ...
5. Vance Boelter, suspect in Minnesota lawmaker shootings ...
6. Minnesota lawmaker shooting suspect Vance Boelter ...
7. Minn. suspect went to 4 officials' homes in plot to 'kill,' prosecutor say…
8. Vance Boelter captured in Sibley County MN, charged with ...