A domestic violence suspect allegedly pistol whipped a person, fired shots within a house and then fled with a child into a busy grocery store where he fired more shots before running out and shooting two people.

Police say he then ran to a second store, Cub on Phalen Boulevard, where he ultimately shot himself.

During a news conference Friday afternoon, St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry said the events began shortly after noon on Friday when a man pistol whipped someone and fired gunshots in a home in the 1500 block of Jessamine Lane. The man then fled with a “very small child.”

After officers received reports that the man was spotted in a nearby Aldi grocery store in the 1100 block of Clarence Street, they arrived and got into a physical altercation with the man. He took out a weapon and fired at police and they returned fire. The man then fled the store without the child, who was not harmed.With officers pursuing him, the man continued to run. As he did, he passed by Destiny Café 2 where he shot two women. They were taken to the hospital to be treated for their non-life threatening injuries, Henry said.

The man continued to flee through the Cub Foods parking lot, toward the occupied grocery store, where an officer fired multiple gunshots at the man.

The man entered the busy grocery store. Several police officers and members of the SWAT and negotiation teams responded and helped evacuate the store. The man was found inside the store and negotiations began “in hopes to get him to surrender.”

Ten minutes later, he shot himself. Despite officers rendering first aid, the man died, according to police.

Henry said everyone involved from the police officers to the residents were “incredibly brave” and people’s actions stopped the sequence of events from being “way, way worse.”

“I don’t think it’s wrong to say it’s a miracle we don’t have greater injuries or deaths today,” Henry said.

He noted that “dozens of people… responded heroically and listened to commands,” which prevented further injuries and deaths.

No officers were injured.

BCA investigating

Mayor Melvin Carter spoke at the news conference, saying the shootings were the “most terrifying” events he can remember in a very long time. He praised the St. Paul police officers who “undoubtedly stood in between our city and a worse outcome that could have occurred.”

“I’m going to bed tonight very, very thankful for the bravery, heroism and the courage of a large number of St. Paul police officers who stood in the face of danger and did exactly what they are trained to do: put themselves in harm’s way to ensure our community members are safe and able to go home tonight. This is a day that could have ended up a lot differently,” Carter said.

The state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension will be investigating.

“All officers involved in this incident were wearing body cameras that were activated,” a St. Paul news release said. “The BCA will review the video and other evidence as part of its investigation. The identity of the man will come from the BCA at a later time. The officers will be placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure after an officer-involved shooting.”

State Rep. Liz Lee released a statement about the shootings Friday afternoon noting that the part of the neighborhood where the shooting occurred had a special place in her heart because it was where she grew up “getting ice cream and happy meals.”

“As details continue to emerge about today’s shootings on the Eastside, one thing is clear: the resilience of our Eastside community members. I want to commend the community members who took heroic actions to prevent further harm. And my thoughts are with the injured still undergoing treatment,” Lee said.

“If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis, you can dial 988 for English and Spanish,” she wrote in her statement. “Wilder Foundation Southeast Asian Services offers mental health services to Hmong, Cambodian and Vietnamese communities. They have multi-lingual professional staff. You can reach them at 651-280-2311. Yog koj muaj kev nyuaj siab, hu tau 651-280-2311.”