On January 22, 2026, at approximately 8:30 P.M. Officers from the West St. Paul Police Department responded to a report of an ongoing theft at a business located on the 1600 block of South Robert Street in West St Paul, Dakota County, MN. Loss prevention employees, 1 officer, the Victim, and an adult male later identified as DENZEL WAYNE STOKER [DOB REDACTED], the Defendant herein, were in the loss prevention office. The Defendant was unloading his pockets stating that he would give everything back.
When the officer went to grab her computer, the Defendant made a run for the door. The Victim [NAME REDACTED], and the Defendant began fighting with her. During the fight, the Defendant grabbed at the fire extinguisher causing it to go off. The Defendant eventually got the fire extinguisher off the wall, lifted it as if he was going to swing it at the officer and then sprayed it directly at her face. Multiple employees who witnessed all or parts of the assault, stated the Defendant was using the fire extinguisher as a weapon.
More officers arrived to assist. The Defendant continued to resist officers when they were placing him under arrest by pulling his arms away from officer. Once the Defendant was placed under arrest, he was continuing to yell, kick at officers, and lean his weight into them as they stood him up. The Defendant told them, “All of you are white motherfuckers and you all can die.” At one point, while in handcuffs, he attempted to reach into his front left jacket pocket. Officers stopped him and then located a knife in that pocket.
Officers also located tinfoil with suspected methamphetamine. The Victim [NAME REDACTED] from the toxic inhalation, and because it persisted, she had to go to the hospital. She also had a small bruise on her upper right arm.
