Police have arrested the man suspected of shooting and killing a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband, as well as injuring a state senator and his wife. The arrest came Sunday after a 43-hour manhunt involving drones, trail cameras and over 400 law enforcement officers.

Authorities say 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter posed as a police officer to access the separate homes of state Representative Melissa Hortman and state Senator John Hoffman. Once in their homes, Boelter carried out what federal prosecutors have called a politically motivated assassination and assassination attempt.

Boelter was taken into custody near Green Isle, Minnesota, after his vehicle was spotted under camouflage netting. He faces multiple state and federal charges, including murder with a firearm, attempted murder, stalking, and impersonating law enforcement. Officials say the attack was part of a broader plan involving a handwritten “hit list” of 45 Democratic officials, suggesting extensive premeditation.

Officers found a handwritten letter to the FBI in a Buick Boelter bought and abandoned, in which the writer identified himself as “Dr. Vance Luther Boelter” and claimed to be “the shooter at large in Minnesota.” Federal filings state Boelter sent a text to family hours before the attacks that read: “Dad went to war last night.”

 Acting US Attorney Joseph Thompson described the attacks as “the stuff of nightmares,” saying that “the suspect stalked his victims like prey and shot them in cold blood.” Boelter has appeared in federal court, where he was held without bail. A follow-up detention hearing is scheduled for June 27, during which prosecutors may decide whether to pursue the death penalty.

Governor Tim Walz has condemned the incident as “an attack on democracy itself,” while Senator Amy Klobuchar warned that “violent political extremism has no place in our state or country.” New developments include confirmation that Boelter visited at least four lawmakers’ residences that night, two were not home, and one encounter drew police intervention before he left.

The tragedy has triggered fresh debate about legislator security after Brennan Center research found 43 percent of state lawmakers received credible threats in the past year and that violence may suppress office-seeking, especially among women and underrepresented groups. Various security enhancements are now under review, from removing home addresses from public websites to installing metal detectors at the State Capitol.

Law enforcement is still investigating whether Boelter acted alone or was influenced by extremist groups. Observers continue to closely watch the development of the case as many are alerted to the risks facing public servants.