St. Paul police release body cam video of officers shooting Lowertown homicide suspect
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
St. Paul police on Tuesday released body camera footage showing officers fatally shooting a man suspected of killing a woman in the city’s Lowertown neighborhood last week.
Seantrell Tyreese Murdock, 29, was shot as St. Paul officers attempted to arrest him early Thursday, Sept. 26, outside a home in Belle Plaine, southwest of the Twin Cities.
He was the suspect in the apparently random killing of 66-year-old Carrie Kwok the previous day. Kwok was fatally shot while working on a mural outside the Lowertown Lofts Artist Cooperative.
Police have said the two did not know each other, and court records show that Murdock had been hospitalized early last year for schizoaffective and substance abuse disorders. He attacked hospital staff and his mother warned that he had access to a gun.
Support Local News
When breaking news happens, MPR News provides the context you need. Help us meet the significant demands of these newsgathering efforts.
After Murdock appeared responsive to treatment, a Scott County judge ordered he continue care as an outpatient.
After the Lowertown shooting last week, investigators tracked Murdock to Belle Plaine. Police said they monitored his home there overnight, then confronted him as he was leaving.
The video released by St. Paul police includes excerpts from three body camera videos that captured the shooting.
The videos show officers exiting their vehicles, yelling “Hands,” “Get on the ground” and “He’s got a gun” before two officers open fire. The videos show about 5 seconds elapsed between officers exiting their vehicles, and firing at Murdock. The videos don’t show whether Murdock had pointed a gun at officers, or provide other context on what led the officers to fire their guns.
After shots are fired, the videos show officers handcuffing Murdock. A handgun is visible on the ground next to him. Murdock is heard asking, “Why did you shoot me?” multiple times.
An officer responds, “Because you had a gun in your hand, dude,” before officers ask Murdock where he was hit; he doesn’t respond. The officers call for medics. Murdock was airlifted to a Minneapolis hospital, where he died from his injuries.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension had previously identified the two St. Paul officers who fired their guns as Aaron Bohlen, who has 10 years of law enforcement experience, and Lance Christianson, who has 20 years of law enforcement experience.
The BCA continues to investigate.
In a statement issued Tuesday along with the release of the video, St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry said “this has been 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. The families, our community, and our officers will continue to be our priority as this independent investigation moves forward.”