St. Paul officers who responded to a report of a woman feeling suicidal asked a 41-year-old if she needed help, and she “rapidly” reached under a blanket, pulled out a handgun and pointed it at them, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said in a Friday update.
Three officers fired their handguns, striking Pepsi Lee Heinl on Monday night. She died at the scene and the Ramsey County medical examiner’s office determined it was from multiple gunshot wounds.
St. Paul officers were called to the home in the 1100 block of East Rose Avenue in the Payne-Phalen area about 7:20 p.m. Monday on a report of a suicide in progress, the police department said early Tuesday.
Heinl’s mother called officers into a back room of the home and they saw Heinl sitting on the floor, the BCA said. Officers were talking to her and trying to determine how to help her when she pulled the gun, according to the police department.
The officers who fired their guns were Chiking Chazonkhueze, with three and a half years of law enforcement experience, Yengkong Lor, with three years of experience, and Chee Lao, with three months of experience.
The officers were wearing body cameras that captured the incident, and the BCA is reviewing the videos as part of their investigation.
The BCA said they found a handgun and casings at the scene.
When the BCA completes its investigation, the agency will forward its findings to the Ramsey County attorney’s office for review about the officers’ actions.
Suicide prevention information
If you need help: If you are in crisis, call 988 or text “Home” to 741741 for free, 24/7 support from the Crisis Text Line. Or, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
If you want to help: Five steps to help others as well as yourself at Take5tosavelives.org.
Please stay: Read survivor stories at Livethroughthis.org: “Our stories can save lives. You are not alone. Please stay.”
Local resources: More local resources at Suicide Awareness Voices of Education (SAVE) at Save.org.
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