Before Carrie Shobe Kwok was shot to death while painting a mural outside the Lowertown Lofts Artist Cooperative, she was excited about her new home among fellow artists.
Kwok, 66, moved into the St. Paul apartment in February, and wanted to make friends with her new neighbors and support the community by painting the mural ahead of the city’s annual fall art crawl event.
“It was one of her dreams for a long time, for many decades, to go live in an art community,” said her son, Bill Kwok of St. Paul.
Authorities on Friday identified Carrie Kwok as the artist shot and killed Wednesday while painting the mural near the artist cooperative. Police Chief Axel Henry said in a news conference Thursday that there is no indication Carrie Kwok knew the shooter, adding that her death was one of the most brazen acts he’s seen in 30 years of policing.
“I’ve never seen anything like that even in a movie. It is awful,” he said.
Kwok had two children and four grandchildren, and was working part-time as a hotel banquet worker, her sister Julie Shobe said. She described her sister as “strong, opinionated,” and someone who “took care of a lot of people.” Kwok lived alone in the artist lofts after separating from her husband and moving from her former St. Paul house.
Carrie Kwok, second from left, poses for a photo with two grandchildren and her sister, Julie Shobe. Kwok was shot and killed while painting a mural in St. Paul on Wednesday, Sept. 25. (Courtesy of Julie Shobe)
Kwok enjoyed home remodeling, making clothes, sewing, and selling vintage art and clothing, her family said. Not long before she was killed, Kwok was helping Shobe with building a tiny house.
“I was shocked yesterday, and now I’m really sad, because I won’t have her help anymore, we won’t laugh any more,” said Shobe, a 71-year-old Bloomington resident. “We laughed until we cried sometimes.”
