WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Mike Bost welcomed a group of St. Clair County police officers to Washington during National Police Week, including Fairview Heights Police Officer Molly Muennich, whom he described as having been shot in the line of duty last May and was honored at the U.S. Capitol.
Bost said Muennich was shot in the face at close range after what he described as a routine call that “quickly turned dangerous.” Despite what he called critical injuries, Bost said, Muennich “kept her wits and called for backup so her fellow officers could take the shooter down.”
Rep. Bost said Muennich’s recovery “was so inspiring” that he helped arrange a meeting with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise “to elevate her voice and highlight her bravery.”
“I was proud to present her with a Congressional Record in her honor in the Reagan Room of the U.S. Capitol,” Bost said.
Officer Muennich was one of three Fairview Heights officers shot during an incident on May 17, 2025. Police officers responded to a call about a suspicious person, and the incident turned out to be violent. Officer Muennich was shot in the face and required emergency surgery after the incident. She was hospitalized for multiple days while recovering.
Fairview Heights Officer Herminio Raimundi was shot in the arm, and Officer Andrew Ward was shot in the chest but was protected by a bulletproof vest in the incident.
Bost said Muennich will retire because of her injuries, but “her spirits are high,” and she expects to find opportunities to continue serving the community.
