ST. LOUIS, MO – November 8, 2026 (STL.News) A 36-year-old man faces eight criminal charges after authorities say he fired shots at Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies during a foot pursuit in south St. Louis on Friday night, November 6, 2026, following a vehicle chase that began outside the city.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) identified the suspect as Denzell Reed, who was arrested after officers pursued him through a residential area near Pennsylvania Avenue. One Jefferson County deputy returned fire during the confrontation, but neither Reed nor any of the deputies was injured.
The St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office issued charges against Reed on Saturday, November 7, after investigators presented their findings. The charges include two counts of first-degree assault, two counts of armed criminal action, first-degree tampering, resisting arrest by flight, resisting arrest, and unlawful possession of a firearm.
The incident involved several law enforcement agencies and prompted an investigation by the SLMPD Force Investigations Unit, which handles incidents involving the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers in St. Louis.
The allegations against Reed have not been proven in court, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Man Charged – Domestic-Related Incident Leads to Police Pursuit
According to information released by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the events began shortly after 6 p.m. Friday, when the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office began investigating a domestic-related incident within its jurisdiction.
Initial police information described the incident as a domestic-related burglary involving reports of shots fired.
Authorities subsequently identified a vehicle associated with the investigation. Police said the vehicle had been reported stolen in connection with the original incident.
At approximately 9:20 p.m., Jefferson County deputies located the vehicle and initiated a pursuit.
The driver reportedly refused to stop, leading deputies on a chase that eventually crossed jurisdictional boundaries and entered the City of St. Louis.
The pursuit required coordination between agencies operating in Jefferson County and the greater St. Louis metropolitan area.
Police have not publicly provided the vehicle’s complete route, total distance, or speeds reached during the chase.
Those details remain important to understanding the circumstances surrounding the incident, particularly because the pursuit moved from Jefferson County into a densely populated urban area.
Pursuit Ends in South St. Louis
According to the police department’s subsequent investigative update, the vehicle stopped in the east alley of the 6900 block of Pennsylvania Avenue in south St. Louis.
Reed allegedly exited the vehicle and attempted to escape on foot.
Four Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies pursued him.
During the foot pursuit, investigators allege Reed fired shots toward the deputies.
One deputy returned fire.
The deputy who discharged his weapon was identified by police as a 24-year-old man with three years of law enforcement service.
Despite the exchange of gunfire, authorities reported no injuries to Reed or the deputies.
Police have not released a complete account of the number of shots fired by Reed or the deputy, the distances between the individuals involved, or the precise positions of the deputies when the shooting occurred.
Those questions are among the circumstances investigators may examine as the investigation continues.
The absence of injuries does not diminish the seriousness of the allegations. Gunfire during a police pursuit presents substantial risks to officers, suspects, nearby residents, and others who may be in the area.
However, investigators must establish the facts through evidence rather than relying solely on preliminary accounts.
Multiple Law Enforcement Agencies Respond
After the shots were fired, a call for assistance was broadcast.
Officers from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and St. Louis County Police Department responded, along with Metro Air Support.
Initial reporting also identified the Missouri State Highway Patrol as one of the responding agencies.
The involvement of multiple departments reflected the changing jurisdiction of the pursuit and the emergency created by the reported exchange of gunfire.
Jefferson County deputies initiated the original pursuit, but the shooting occurred within the City of St. Louis.
That distinction matters because the SLMPD Force Investigations Unit investigates deadly-force incidents involving law enforcement agencies within city boundaries.
Authorities eventually located and arrested Reed in the 7400 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, several blocks from where the vehicle pursuit ended.
Police reported that they took him into custody without further incident.
Investigators also recovered a firearm.
The police department has not publicly established in the available information whether additional firearms or other weapons were recovered, nor has it released detailed forensic findings concerning the recovered weapon.
Those matters could become relevant as the criminal prosecution and investigation proceed.
Eight Criminal Charges Filed Against Reed
On November 7, detectives with the SLMPD Force Investigations Unit presented their findings to the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors issued eight charges against Reed:
- Two counts of first-degree assault.
- Two counts of armed criminal action.
- One count of first-degree tampering.
- One count of resisting arrest by flight.
- One count of resisting arrest.
- One count of unlawful possession of a firearm.
The charges reflect allegations involving the reported gunfire, vehicle-related conduct, flight from law enforcement, and firearm possession.
First-degree assault is a serious felony offense under Missouri law. The specific legal elements prosecutors must establish depend on the conduct alleged in the charging documents.
Armed criminal action is a separate offense that can apply when a person allegedly commits certain felonies using, assisting, or aiding with a dangerous instrument or deadly weapon.
The first-degree tampering charge concerns alleged conduct involving property, including motor vehicles under applicable provisions of Missouri law.
Resisting arrest allegations generally involve conduct intended to prevent an officer from making an arrest. Missouri law also addresses resisting a lawful stop or detention, including circumstances involving flight.
The unlawful possession of a firearm charge concerns a separate alleged violation of Missouri firearms law.
The formal charging documents and subsequent court proceedings will determine the precise factual and legal basis for each count.
The filing of criminal charges is not a finding of guilt.
Force Investigations Unit Examines Shooting
Because a Jefferson County deputy discharged his firearm within the City of St. Louis, the SLMPD Force Investigations Unit is investigating the shooting.
The unit examines incidents involving the use of deadly force by law enforcement personnel within city limits, including incidents involving officers from outside agencies.
Its work is separate from whether Reed committed the criminal offenses prosecutors allege.
An investigation of this nature may involve reviewing physical evidence, witness statements, firearm evidence, police communications, available video recordings, and the sequence of events leading to the use of force.
Investigators may also examine the actions of the deputies involved, including the circumstances under which the deputy discharged his weapon.
The available police information does not establish whether investigators have obtained body-camera recordings, surveillance footage, or other video evidence.
It also does not establish whether any administrative action has been taken regarding the deputy who returned fire.
Those details should not be assumed without confirmation from the responsible agencies.
The investigative process is intended to establish what happened, determine whether criminal violations occurred, and provide an evidentiary record for any additional review.
Questions Remain About the Original Incident
Although authorities have described the initial Jefferson County investigation as domestic-related, several details have not been publicly established in the available reports.
Police have not released a complete explanation of the circumstances surrounding the original burglary report or Reed’s relationship to anyone involved in that incident.
Public information also does not fully explain how the vehicle was allegedly stolen.
Likewise, investigators have not released a detailed timeline accounting for every stage between the initial report shortly after 6 p.m. and the vehicle pursuit that began around 9:20 p.m.
These distinctions matter because the initial Jefferson County investigation, the vehicle pursuit, and the subsequent shooting represent different stages of the case.
Each may involve separate evidence, witnesses, and legal questions.
The charges filed in St. Louis address the conduct identified in the prosecution announced November 7. The available information does not establish whether additional charges related to the original Jefferson County incident have been filed.
Cross-Jurisdictional Pursuits Present Challenges
The incident illustrates the operational challenges law enforcement agencies can encounter when a pursuit crosses county and municipal boundaries.
Jefferson County borders the southern portion of the St. Louis metropolitan area. A pursuit originating there can enter neighboring jurisdictions, requiring police departments to coordinate communications, emergency responses, and investigative responsibilities.
When a pursuit moves into another jurisdiction, officers may need assistance from agencies more familiar with local streets, neighborhoods, and available resources.
Air support can also provide information to officers on the ground, although the specific operational role Metro Air Support played in this incident has not been fully described publicly.
In this case, the pursuit ultimately developed into an armed confrontation on foot.
The reported exchange of gunfire created an additional emergency that brought city and county officers into the response.
The subsequent investigation also required determining which agency had responsibility for examining the deputy’s use of force.
Such cases demonstrate why cooperation between departments is an important component of regional policing.
They also underscore the need to carefully examine pursuit decisions, communications, and the circumstances surrounding any use of deadly force.
No Injuries Reported Despite Exchange of Gunfire
One of the most significant details released by investigators is that no injuries were reported during the exchange of gunfire.
Police said Reed fired at deputies and that one deputy returned fire.
Neither Reed nor the deputies was struck.
Authorities have not reported injuries to nearby residents or other individuals associated with the confrontation.
The incident nevertheless involved the discharge of firearms in a residential section of south St. Louis.
Investigators have not publicly disclosed whether any homes, vehicles, or other property were struck by gunfire.
The potential for unintended injuries is one reason shootings involving law enforcement receive detailed investigative attention even when nobody is wounded.
The evidence collected from the scene may help establish the direction of gunfire, the location of discharged cartridge cases, and other details relevant to reconstructing the confrontation.
Those findings have not yet been publicly released in the reports reviewed for this article.
Criminal Proceedings and Investigation Continue
With charges now filed, the criminal case against Reed can proceed through the Missouri judicial system.
The next stages may include an initial court appearance, consideration of pretrial detention or release conditions, preliminary proceedings where applicable, and other hearings.
The available reporting does not establish Reed’s next scheduled court appearance, whether an attorney has entered an appearance on his behalf, or whether a detention decision has been issued.
Those details should be confirmed through court records before publication of any subsequent updates.
The criminal prosecution and the investigation of the deputy’s use of force may proceed on separate tracks.
Prosecutors must establish the elements of the offenses charged against Reed through the applicable legal process.
Meanwhile, investigators examining the shooting must evaluate the circumstances under which the deputy fired his weapon.
The results of either process should not be presumed before investigators review the evidence.
What Happens Next?
Several developments could provide additional information about the November 6 incident.
The release of formal charging documents may clarify the factual allegations supporting each of the eight counts.
Additional police statements could establish the number of shots fired, the circumstances surrounding the original Jefferson County incident, and the sequence of events during the vehicle and foot pursuits.
Investigative findings may also explain how the recovered firearm is connected to the alleged shooting.
Court proceedings will determine how the criminal charges move forward.
For now, the confirmed developments are that Reed was arrested following a pursuit from Jefferson County into St. Louis; police allege he fired at pursuing deputies; one deputy returned fire; no injuries were reported; and prosecutors filed eight criminal charges.
The case remains an active criminal matter, and the SLMPD Force Investigations Unit continues to examine the reported exchange of gunfire.
The incident also serves as a reminder of how quickly a law enforcement response to a reported domestic-related crime can escalate into a regional emergency involving multiple departments.
While the immediate confrontation ended without reported injuries, the legal and investigative consequences remain unresolved.
STL.News will continue following developments in the case, including court proceedings, additional investigative findings, and official statements from the agencies involved.
Legal Disclaimer: Criminal charges are allegations, not proof of guilt. Denzell Reed is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on information available as of November 8, 2026. Investigative findings, charges, and court proceedings may change as additional information becomes available. STL.News does not independently determine criminal responsibility or the legality of any use of force.
