Officials south of the Twin Cities said late Sunday morning that they have found an unoccupied vehicle that belongs to Vance Boelter, the man suspected of shooting two state legislators a day earlier and their spouses in their Twin Cities homes.

The development was disclosed in an emergency alert from the County Sheriff’s Office to cellphones in the area where the vehicle was found, Hwy. 25 and 301st Avenue in Faxon Township, a county dispatcher said.

That location is a few miles east of Boelter’s home near Green Isle.

“Suspect not located. Keep your doors locked and vehicles secured,” the alert read.

A dispatcher wanted to make clear that the alert is not directing people to shelter in place. “Law enforcement will be going to area residences to ask to search properties,” the alert noted.

The finding of the car follows the detention of the wife of Vance Boelter, along with three relatives, by law enforcement more than 100 miles from the Boelters’ home late Saturday morning, the Mille Lacs County sheriff said Sunday.

“Our law enforcement partners from the metro that are working this case became aware that she was traveling through my county, and they requested assistance in locating and stopping a vehicle,” Sheriff Kyle Burton said, referring to Boelter’s wife, Jenny Boelter.

Burton said the stop occurred between 10:30 and 11 a.m. Saturday outside the Casey’s convenience store just off Hwy. 169 in Onamia, about 110 miles north of the Boelters’ home near Green Isle.

“Deputies from my office responded with law enforcement from Hennepin County, and our role on this was (securing a) perimeter, so we were not involved in searching or questioning those who were in the car. I was told that the suspect’s wife and other relatives were in the car.

“My understanding is they were detained by authorities from Hennepin, and the individuals who were in the car were taken from the scene by Hennepin County law enforcement.”

A store employee told the Minnesota Star Tribune that she saw the vehicles’ occupants — two young women, an older woman and a young man — seated in lawn chairs behind the store while under the watch of state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agents.

The employee, who asked that her name not be included in this report, said everyone remained on scene from about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“The BCA told me they were questioning some people you may or may not have seen on the news,” the employee said.

“Everything was calm as could be,” she said, adding that no one was handcuffed and no agents drew weapons. “(The agents) walked them in to go to the bathroom. They came in and got them pizza and beverages.”

The vehicles’ occupants “did leave with the BCA,” the employee said. “They all went in a line of eight or nine cars and headed south toward Milaca.”

The Minnesota Star Tribune reached out Sunday morning by phone to Jenny Boelter. Someone who answered the call said she was not available to speak at the moment.

Vance Boelter, 57, has been on the run since before dawn Saturday as the primary suspect in the killing of state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, at their Brooklyn Park home. He’s also wanted on allegations that he shot and wounded state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, at their home in Champlin.

Minnesota Department of Public Safety spokesman Howie Padilla said Sunday morning that Jenny Boelter was not in custody.

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(Sarah Nelson of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this report.)

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The wife of Vance Boelter, the man wanted in connection with the shootings that targeted two state legislators and their spouses at their Twin Cities homes Saturday, was detained along with three relatives by law enforcement more than 100 miles from her home late that morning, the Mille Lacs County sheriff said Sunday.

“Our law enforcement partners from the metro that are working this case became aware that she was traveling through my county, and they requested assistance in locating and stopping a vehicle,” Sheriff Kyle Burton said, referring to Boelter’s wife, Jenny Boelter.

Burton said the stop occurred between 10:30 and 11 a.m. outside the Casey’s convenience store just off Hwy. 169 in Onamia, about 110 miles north of the Boelters’ home near Green Isle.

“Deputies from my office responded with law enforcement from Hennepin County, and our role on this was (securing a) perimeter, so we were not involved in searching or questioning those who were in the car. I was told that the suspect’s wife and other relatives were in the car.

“My understanding is they were detained by authorities from Hennepin, and the individuals who were in the car were taken from the scene by Hennepin County law enforcement.”

The Minnesota Star Tribune reached out Sunday morning by phone to Jenny Boelter. Someone who answered the call said she was not available to speak at the moment.

Vance Boelter, 57, has been on the run since before dawn Saturday as the primary suspect in the killing of state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, at their Brooklyn Park home. He’s also wanted on allegations that he shot and wounded state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman, at their home in Champlin.

Minnesota Department of Public Safety spokesman Howie Padilla said Sunday morning that Jenny Boelter was not in custody.

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(Sarah Nelson of the Minnesota Star Tribune contributed to this report.)

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