A 57-year-old man has been arrested in the US state of Minnesota on suspicion of killing a Democratic state lawmaker and her husband.
The arrest on Sunday night was the culmination of a huge two-day manhunt following the deaths of Melissa Hortman, a Minnesota Democrat, and her husband Mark. State Governor Tim Walz called it a “politically motivated assassination”.
Police said Vance Luther Boelter was armed at the time of his arrest in a rural area west of Minneapolis, but gave himself up peacefully when challenged.
The suspect is also alleged to have shot and wounded Democratic State Senator John Hoffman, and his wife Yvette, who are both now awake in hospital.
Mrs Hoffman said on Sunday that both felt “incredibly lucky to be alive”.
Boelter was detained after investigators found a car he allegedly used in Sibley County, about 50 miles (80km) from the murder scene in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.
Air and SWAT teams were deployed to arrest the suspect in what was described as the largest manhunt in Minnesota’s history.
No police officers were injured during his apprehension, and officials said they were not looking for any other suspects.
