In a tragic incident in St. Paul earlier this week, a woman was fatally shot by police officers who were responding to reports of a suicide in progress. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has released the identities of the three officers involved in the shooting, as well as the body camera footage capturing the incident.

According to the police, the officers arrived at a residence on Rose Avenue East in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood at around 7:15 p.m. on Monday. Inside the home, a 41-year-old woman pointed a handgun at the officers, prompting them to open fire. The woman sustained multiple gunshot wounds and unfortunately succumbed to her injuries at the scene.

The BCA identified the officers as Chiking Chazonkhueze, Chee Lao, and Yengkong Lor, all of whom fired their weapons during the encounter. Chazonkhueze and Lor have several years of law enforcement experience, while Lao has three months of experience in the field. As per standard procedure, all three officers have been placed on critical incident leave.

The BCA has been tasked with investigating the officers' use of force, and they plan to present their findings to the Ramsey County Attorney's Office without a charging recommendation. In a statement, Mayor Melvin Carter expressed his condolences to the woman's family and emphasized the city's commitment to accountability and transparency.

The St. Paul Police Department released excerpts of the body camera footage on Friday, following a review by the woman's family. The footage will now be reviewed by WCCO, who will provide a comprehensive report on the incident that includes an interview with Police Chief Axel Henry.

Chief Henry acknowledged the tragic nature of the incident and the impact it will have on both the officers involved and the woman's family. He also emphasized the need for communities to come together and find ways to assist individuals in crisis, highlighting the unpredictable situations that first responders face daily.

As the investigation progresses, the community eagerly awaits further details from the footage and the findings by the BCA.