ST PAUL, Minn. — St. Paul police confirmed that one person is dead following an officer-involved shooting in Belle Plaine Thursday morning, an incident related to the homicide of an artist in Lowertown.
In a press conference Thursday afternoon, St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry said the shooting in Lowertown "shook the entire community" and while it is still under investigation, he said evidence indicates the death of the artist was "extremely random."
"The evidence we have is that this is not something that was derived by a conflict or a fight or anything like that or previous associations with one another, and it seems to be very much random," Henry said.
Wednesday night police were called to the 200 block of E Kellogg Blvd. shortly after 5:15 p.m. on a report of a shooting. When officers arrived, they found a woman with apparent gunshot wounds. Officials say the victim - identified Friday as 66-year-old Carrie Shobie Kwok of St. Paul - was pronounced dead at the scene.
Henry said officers identified a vehicle and had photos of the driver, which led them to an address in Belle Plaine. He said as officers started to establish a perimeter and make a plan, the suspect exited the residence with a gun, resulting in an officer-involved shooting. No officers were hurt and the Minnesota Bureau of Apprehension is investigating this incident.
Chief Henry was obviously shaken during the press briefing, describing the act of seemingly random violence that was captured on surveillance video. "The victim (Shobe Kwok) was on her knees, working on an art project in the street, about as vulnerable as a person can be for someone who is intending to do them harm," Henry shared. "One of the most cold-blooded things I've ever seen in my life. It is awful... atypical in a way that in almost 30 years (in policing) I have ever seen."
While not mentioning specifics about the 29-year-old man who police say pulled the trigger, the chief told reporters that as this case develops he believes it will reignite the ongoing debate about red flags concerning people who should not have access to guns.
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter described what happened as "brazen" and "cold-blooded," and said what made it worse is that all the victim was doing was trying to make the city a better place. "We are a community in mourning," Carter declared, "to have lost a member of our community who was in the act of beautifying our community, in the moment it was all she was trying to do, was give us a more beautiful, enjoyable and peaceful community."
Lowertown Lofts Artists Cooperative confirmed on Facebook that Shobe Kowk was one of its members and she was shot while working on an art project outside the building.
"This afternoon one of our members was shot and killed while working on an art project outside of our building," the statement reads. "We don’t have a lot of information right now, but we are working closely with the authorities to resolve this tragic event. We ask that our friends and neighbors not speculate about the situation. Our community is in shock and grief as we grapple with the unimaginable."