ST. PAUL, Minn. – Authorities have identified the woman fatally shot while working on an art project in Lowertown, St. Paul, on Wednesday. The victim, Carrie Shobe Kwok, 66, was randomly targeted, according to police. St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry expressed shock over the randomness of the crime, noting that such an event is unprecedented.
Police arrived at the scene a shooting on the 200 block of Kellogg Boulevard East on Wednesday evening. Responding officers found Kwok with apparent gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities swiftly tracked the suspect’s vehicle to an address in Belle Plaine.
Early Thursday morning, around 6:30 a.m., the suspect emerged from the Belle Plaine house armed with a gun. In the ensuing confrontation, two St. Paul officers shot at the man, who was then airlifted to Hennepin County Medical Center but succumbed to his injuries. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension currently has the incident under investigation, and the suspect’s name has not been released.
Kwok was a member of the Lowertown Lofts Art Cooperative and was actively working on an art project in the alley at the time of the shooting. Flowers were placed at the mural the following morning, which was cordoned off by caution tape.
“All she was trying to do is give us an even more beautiful and enjoyable and peaceful community,” St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter remarked at a press conference on Thursday.
The community has been deeply shaken. While some residents of the artist co-op found solace in knowing the suspect lived far away, others in the neighborhood voiced increased concerns about safety. Lynn Murphy, a local resident, shared her personal experiences with crime in the area, highlighting a growing sense of unease.
Kwok was remembered as a bright soul intent on bettering her community, one mural at a time.