St. Paul police have released body camera footage showing officers fatally shooting a murder suspect.

St. Paul police have released body camera footage showing officers opening fire on a man suspected in two shootings in Minneapolis that left three people dead.

EEarl BennettA 40-year-old man was hospitalized after being shot by police in Saint PaulMidway area, October 28. He is charged in a shooting at a camp in Minneapolis the day before that left three people dead, as well as another shooting in Minneapolis that left a man critically injured.

On Tuesday, the St. Paul Police Department released excerpts from body camera video that captured the moments officers found and shot Bennett.

Officers were called to the 400 block of Pierce Street around 7:45 p.m. after a report of shots fired nearby and arrived to find Bennett armed with a handgun near Snelling and Charles avenues. Before officers arrive, bystanders can be heard trying to persuade Bennett not to shoot.

When officers confronted Bennett, he pointed the gun at his own head and walked south on Snelling Avenue. Officers attempted to de-escalate the situation: In one video, an officer can be heard saying, “We’re here to help you,” repeating this several times to get him to “get his feet on the ground.”

They agreed with Bennett to put the weapon down for about four minutes.

Someone not seen in the video can be heard saying Bennett’s gun is “not loaded,” but this has not been confirmed. Police ordered the bystander to leave after he said he was going to take the gun out of Bennett’s hands, again saying, “There are no bullets in that gun.”

Bennett continued walking south on Snelling Avenue to University Avenue, where he stopped and crossed the intersection with a gun to his head. Officers used less-lethal rounds as they continued to try to get him to put his gun down, but were unsuccessful.

In an attempt to talk Bennett down, he pointed a gun at the officers and four officers were seen firing their service weapons and striking him. One officer’s shots can be heard ringing out about eight times.

Officers rendered aid and called St. Paul Fire Department medics, who responded and transported Bennett to an area hospital for treatment of serious injuries.

“Last week there was another episode of gun violence in our city. Our officers responded to one of our state’s busiest intersections looking for a man firing a gun. Given the location, time of day and number of motorists, light rail users, pedestrians and cyclists in the area, I am grateful that more people were not injured,” said St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry.

“We, as your police department, remain committed to being transparent and releasing body camera footage as quickly as possible. No one, including the police officers tasked with responding to these calls, wants these results. We must all work together to stop violence in our community.”

On the subject: Third victim dies in triple shooting at camp in Minneapolis