One of the Minnesota pols who escaped suspected assassin Vance Boelter’s crosshairs told The Post on Monday that her close call was terrifying.
“It’s scary,’’ Democratic state Sen. Ann Rest said — shortly after it was revealed that Boelter had allegedly shot and wounded another Minnesota senator and his wife before parking near her home early Saturday.
Boelter, 57, was apparently scared off from Rest’s home by a cop who had pulled up to her property as part of a wellness check, which police were conducting on local politicians after the earlier shooting.
Minnesota state Sen. Ann Rest is speaking out as its revealed she narrowly escaped a close call with accused assassin Vance Boelter. Minnesota Senate Media Services
Boelter was apparently scared off from Rest’s home by police conducting wellness checks. via REUTERS
Police say Boelter used this Beretta handgun to carry out the shootings. District Court of Minnesota
Boelter is accused of later fatally gunning down state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband.
“I have been made aware that the shooting suspect was parked near my home early Saturday morning. I am so grateful for the heroic work of the New Hope Police Department and its officers,” Rest said.
“Their quick action saved my life. I am also thankful for the work of state and local law enforcement to apprehend the suspect before he could take any more lives.”
A relative of Rest told The Post the lucky lawmaker is “pretty sad” about the targeted shooting.
Follow the latest on the arrest of suspected Minnesota assassin Vance Boelter:
- Accused Minnesota assassin hints at motive during exclusive jailhouse interview: ‘It didn’t involve… Trump stuff or pro-life’
- Chilling notebooks found in accused Minnesota assassin Vance Boelter’s car detail meticulous planning of twisted attack
- Minnesota state Sen. Ann Rest — who escaped accused assassin Vance Boelter’s crosshairs — speaks out on ‘scary’ ordeal
- How accused Minnesota assassin transitioned from popular local athlete to radical far-right Christian
- Wife of accused Minnesota lawmaker assassin Vance Boelter says family was ‘completely blindsided’ by husband’s politically-motivated violence
“She’s been [in politics] for I think 42 years and for something like this to happen is just tragic,” the kin said outside Rest’s home Monday. “I know she feels horrible for her colleagues.”
“She’s had better days,” she added. “You lose colleagues like that, that’s terrifying.”
Boelter, who was posing as a police officer, first allegedly shot and wounded state Sen. John Hoffman and his spouse, Yvette, at their home before going to another unidentified lawmaker’s home, according to the complaint.
That official wasn’t home, leading Boetler to go to Rest’s residence in New Hope, the complaint states.
An officer saw what she believed was another squad car parked outside and tried to talk to Boelter to no avail, Acting US Attorney Joseph Thompson said during a press conference Monday.
“He just sat there and stared straight ahead,” Thompson said.
When more cops reached the scene, the suspect was already gone and went to Hortman’s home.
Boelter is facing state and federal charges that could potentially pave the way for the death penalty if convicted of the federal counts.
He’s accused of meticulously planning out the shootings of the two pols – and had a list of other Democratic elected officials written in notebooks, according to the feds.
A trove of weapons was found in a car belonging to Boelter, according to law enforcement.
“I just can’t imagine,” Rest’s relative told The Post. “That’s an evil person.”
