Court records show warning signs in past of homicide suspect killed by St. Paul police
BELLE PLAINE, Minn. — St. Paul police are still investigating after a deadly shooting they say shook their community.
Police say Carrie Kwok was killed in a "cold-blooded" and "brazen" shooting Wednesday, in what appears to be random attack.
The suspect, 29-year-old Seantrell Murdock, was killed just hours later, during a confrontation with St. Paul officers in Belle Plaine.
But St. Paul police also say there were warning signs in Murdock's past that should have kept him away from guns.
"This murder that took place in our city, which led us to be talking about this officer-involved shooting today, has all kinds of hallmarks and flags that I think are going to come out in the coming days," said Chief Axel Henry.
The leader of St. Paul police says those red flags in Murdock's background should lead to more conversation about mental illness and guns.
And court records show why: In January 2023, Murdock's mother brought him to the ER over mental health concerns.
During that time, Murdock physically and verbally assaulted staff and required "physical restraints and emergency medications," records show. He indicated he was "scared of himself" and didn't want to harm anyone but then stated he "wanted to kill others."
Court documents say he posed a risk due to "mental illness " and "chemical dependency."
There was a petition to civilly commit him, but the courts instead handed him a stay of commitment.
"What that means is that the person has to basically abide by all the rules that the judge gives, as well as take his medication, go to counseling, go to therapy and if after a period of time, in this case six months, he's done everything that was asked of him, the case is dismissed," said criminal defense attorney Joe Tamburino, who is unaffiliated with the case.
Murdock's case was dismissed in August of 2023.
Tamburino said according to state law, Murdock's criminal record, which includes a felony burglary charge, should have prevented him from owning a gun.
"We have rules and regulations both on the state and federal level that talk about what we need to do about who can have guns. Talk about the kind of mental health we need to have to posses firearms, or levels of intoxication. It is important that we recognize these flags," Henry said.
Minnesota's red flag law didn't go into effect until January of this year, months after Murdock was taken to the ER. It allows family members, law enforcement, and courts petition to keep someone from buying or keeping a firearm during a period of crisis.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress, get help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. Trained crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day to talk about anything.
In addition, help is available from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI. Call the NAMI Helpline at 800-950-6264 or text "HelpLine" to 62640. There are more than 600 local NAMI organizations and affiliates across the country, many of which offer free support and education programs.