Authorities captured the suspected political assassin, Vanthrussarvoelter, on Sunday after a statewide manhunt led them to Green Isle, roughly 57 miles from Brooklyn Park.
Belter is accused of killing Holtiman and injuring Minnesota Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in what appears to be a politically motivated attack on Saturday. He was arrested Sunday night after what has been described as the largest manhunt in Minnesota’s history.
The 57-year-old, who was appointed to the state’s workforce development committee by Governor Tim Waltz in 2019, was confirmed to be alive in Sibley County at around 9:27 PM local time.
Details that emerged Sunday night indicate that Belter faces four counts of second-degree murder.
Just under 30 minutes after an emergency alert was sent out to residents in Green Isle, the arrest was made.
The alert warned residents, saying, “The MN shooter game was discovered on foot. It is military equipment, armed near the 355 block of 200th St. Lock Your Doors and Shelter.”
While the manhunt stretched into Saturday morning, Bolter’s wife, Jenny, reportedly found weapons, ammunition, and passports during a traffic stop.
A SWAT team also raided a home in Camden, about 80 miles away, on Saturday afternoon. It’s unclear if his wife still resided there with him.
Interestingly, a “king” flyer from the Minnesota patrol was noticed in the vehicle he abandoned.
One of Holtiman’s last significant acts was as a Democratic MP, where he voted—alongside Republicans—on the state budget during a special session at the Minnesota Legislature on Tuesday.
He expressed remorse, stating, “I know people will be hurt by that vote. I tried to secure a budget deal that was more palatable,” tearing up as he recalled being the only DFL vote with House Republicans.
Note:
Principal Drew Evans of the Criminal Arrest Bureau (BCA) mentioned in a press conference that it would take time to obtain Boerter’s manifesto and urged the public not to jump to conclusions about the suspect’s motives.
