After nearly 40 hours of pursuit, U.S. authorities have successfully apprehended Vance Boelter, the 57-year-old man accused of the murder of state Democratic congresswoman Melissa Hortman and her husband in Minnesota, as well as injuring a senator and his wife, reports Afp. The suspect was arrested on Sunday night "without the use of force," authorities from that northern U.S. state reported.
"The suspect was apprehended without the use of force," stated Jeremy Geiger, colonel of the state police, at a press conference.
The capture took place in the town of Green Isle, over an hour west of Minneapolis, after over 40 hours of searching, authorities specified.
The FBI was offering a reward of up to $50,000 for any information leading to the location of a man identified as Vance Boelter, accused of fatally shooting Hortman and her husband, as well as critically injuring state senator John Hoffman and his wife, in two Minneapolis suburbs.
Early Saturday morning, Boelter allegedly went to the homes of Hoffman and Hortman. In a photo shared by authorities, he is seen disguised in a police uniform and what appears to be a latex mask, while ringing the doorbell of a house.
Hours before on Sunday, Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, stated that authorities found a car early Sunday believed to be used by Boelter, a few kilometers from his home in Green Isle.
Evans confirmed that investigators found a cowboy hat near the vehicle and believe it belonged to Boelter. The superintendent also mentioned that authorities interviewed Boelter's wife and other family members regarding the Saturday shootings. He stated that they cooperated and are not in custody.
Over 100 police officers, including SWAT teams, were searching the area, including nearby houses, Evans indicated.
The previous search took place in rural Sibley County, approximately 50 miles southwest of Minneapolis, where Boelter had a home with his wife and five children. Residents in the area received an emergency alert about the located vehicle, advising them to lock their doors and cars.
The shootings come at a time when political leaders across the United States have been attacked, harassed, and intimidated amid deep political divisions.
Flowers and small American flags were placed on Sunday on the gray marble stone of the Minnesota State Capitol along with a photo of the Hortmans. People wrote messages on small notes. One read: "You were our leader in the toughest times. May your memory be honored."
Pam Stein arrived with flowers and knelt by the makeshift memorial. Very emotional, she said Hortman was an "absolute giant" and "the true unsung hero of Minnesota's government."