St. Paul woman killed by police named, officers involved identified
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) identified the woman shot and killed by St. Paul police on Monday night.
Authorities say Pepsi Lee Heinl, 41, of St. Paul, died from multiple gunshot wounds, according to a medical examiner's report. Authorities say she was shot after she pulled a handgun out from under a blanket and pointed it at officers.
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The BCA also named the three St. Paul police officers involved in the shooting while also quantifying their time in law enforcement. The following officers are all on standard critical incident leave:
- Chiking Chazonkhueze fired his department handgun and has three and a half years of law enforcement experience.
- Chee Lao fired his department handgun and has three months of law enforcement experience.
- Yengkong Lor fired his department handgun and has three years of law enforcement experience.
Investigators say the officers responded to a home in the 1100 block of Rose Avenue East for reports of a suicidal woman.
The woman's mother then reportedly called the officers to a back room of the home where they found Heinl sitting on the floor and asked if she needed help.
The BCA says Heinl then rapidly reached under a blanket, pulled out a handgun, stood up and pointed the gun at the officers. Law enforcement officials say the shooting happened at 7:20 p.m. when Chazonkhueze, Lao and Lor opened fire on Heinl. She died at the scene despite life-saving efforts from police.
The BCA said it is continuing its investigation and will present its findings to the Ramsey County Attorney’s Office once the investigation is complete.