St. Paul officers have been identified in the Snelling and University shootings

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says four St. Paul police officers fired handguns or rifles during an incident Monday at Snelling and University avenues.

They identified them and two other officers Wednesday who fired the non-fatal shots shooting a man who police say pointed a gun in their direction.

Earl Bennett, 40, remains hospitalized in critical but stable condition, the BCA said Wednesday. Bennett is a suspect in two murders and two other serious shootings at a Minneapolis sober house and homeless camp on Sunday and Monday, according to Minneapolis police.

BCA, which is conducting the investigation, identified the officers involved as Officer Chase Robinson and Sgt. LaMichael Shade, who both fired pistols; Officers Shawn Marlowe and Blake Steffen, who both fired rifles; and Officers Austin Borowicz and Peow Swan, who both fired the non-fatal shots.

According to the BCA, Robinson and Marleau have 10 years of law enforcement experience, Shed eight years, Steffen four years and Borovich and Swann three years.

The officers are on standard administrative leave for such cases.

A shooting at a busy intersection

St. Paul police officers were called to Pierce Street near University Avenue just before 7:45 p.m. Monday. Several people reported gunfire in the area.

The officer reported seeing a man, identified as Bennett, walking south on Snelling Avenue toward University Avenue with a gun in his hand, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday against Bennett in Ramsey County.

“We have no information to indicate that any of our officers knew his identity or his past actions prior to meeting with him,” said Sgt. Mike Ernster, a spokesman for the St. Paul Police Department.

The officer also reported that Bennett did not drop the gun and continued walking. He was holding a gun to his head, walking in the middle of traffic lanes and in the median on Snelling Avenue. He stopped in the middle of the tram track. A witness said Bennett told police to shoot him.

Officers negotiated with him to put down his gun, but he wouldn’t, Ernster said.

The officer fired non-lethal shots at Bennett to force him to drop the gun. According to the complaint, Bennett pointed his gun at the officers and the officers shot him.

The 9 mm pistol that Bennett discharged after the shooting did not contain a magazine; The complaint said there was a lot of ammunition in the chamber. The gun was tied to shell casings fired during the Minneapolis murder.

Community advocates called on Tuesday for officials to immediately release the body camera footage.