St. Paul police release body camera footage of officers shooting homicide suspect

St. Paul police released body-worn camera footage on Tuesday of the moment officers shot and killed the man suspected in last week’s Lowertown homicide, which shows police saying they shot him because he was holding a gun but does not show whether he pointed it at officers.

The footage was released of three St. Paul officers’ body cameras, including the two who fired at homicide suspect Seantrell Tyreese Murdock — Aaron Bohlen and Lance Christianson.

Murdock, 29, was suspected of killing Carrie Shobe Kwok on Sept. 25 in a random shooting as she was painting a mural near the Lowertown Lofts Artist Cooperative. Kwok, 66, moved into the artist co-operative building in February, and did not have any connection to Murdock, police said.

Officers tracked Murdock to the home in the 100 block of Meridian Street in Belle Plaine and confronted him as he exited it in the morning of Sept. 26.

The footage shows officers driving up to Murdock and exiting their squad cars before yelling for him to put up his hands, to get on the ground, and finally yelling, “He’s got a gun.”

Gunshots ring out before Murdock falls to the ground. The footage does not clearly show what Murdock did at the moment officers fired upon him, or if he pointed his gun.

Officers walk up to Murdock as officers tell him, “Don’t move.” Cameras show a handgun lying next to Murdock, who continues to speak with the officers. Murdock asks the officers repeatedly, “Why did you shoot me?”

“Because you had a gun in your hand, dude,” one officer says.

Murdock continues to ask the officers, “Why did you shoot me?”

The officers turn Murdock onto his stomach and place him in handcuffs. As the officers begin asking him, “Where were you hit, buddy?” Murdock does not respond as the officers pull the sweatshirt up on his torso. The officers then yell for medics to be brought in. Murdock was airlifted to HCMC in Minneapolis, where he died from his injuries.

Along with the footage, St. Paul police sent out a news release, in which St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry said it’s a “very sad time for our city and the families of those impacted by the loss of a loved one.”

“We stand committed to being transparent and accountable for our actions and we hope the release of these videos will help answer some of the questions people have,” Henry said. “The families, our community, and our officers will continue to be our priority as this independent investigation moves forward.”

The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is conducting an investigation into the shooting of Murdock. Asked about why officers decided to fire, spokesperson Jill Oliveira said “any information about motive is part of the BCA’s active investigation.”