An artist was shot and killed while working on a project outside an artist cooperative in the Lowertown area of St. Paul on Wednesday evening, rattling the nearby community.

Police had not made any arrests as of 10 p.m. and had little information to share about the circumstances of the shooting.

“We need some people’s help,” Sgt. Mike Ernster said, in a plea for anyone with knowledge about the case to step forward.

What police did provide was that a woman died from gunshot injuries around 5:18 p.m. in an alleyway outside the Lowertown Lofts Artist Cooperative, 255 E. Kellogg Blvd., which provides housing and studio space for artists.

A suspect fled in a vehicle, Ernster said, and it was unclear whether they knew the victim.

In a statement, the cooperative confirmed the victim was one of their members who was working on a project outside the building.

“We ask that our friends and neighbors not speculate about the situation,” the statement said. “Our community is in shock and grief as we grapple with the unimaginable.”

The shooting comes less than two weeks before the St. Paul Art Crawl, scheduled to run Oct. 4 through 6.

Without specific information from police, the incident shook some community members who gathered for the late-night news conference with officials. They were astonished at that level of violence for a neighborhood that typically experiences only minor crimes.

“It makes me pretty nervous,” said Casey Carlson, who lives near to the scene.

Tara Tieso, an artist at the cooperative, said late Wednesday that members were gathering for a vigil for the victim.

“We’re having a hard time,” she said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the St. Paul Police Department at 651-266-5650.