A 36-year-old St. Louis man is facing seven felony charges after a Friday-night incident in Jefferson County that investigators say began with an armed break-in at a home in High Ridge, continued with a shot fired inside the house, and ended hours later with a stolen-vehicle pursuit into the City of St. Louis, an exchange of gunfire with deputies and an arrest involving three police agencies.

Source: My Parkland News — Jefferson County Sheriff's Office release, Nov. 8, 2026

Jefferson County Sheriff Dave Marshak announced the charges on Sunday, November 8. The accused is Denzell M. Reed, 36, of St. Louis. The charges and everything described below are allegations in a sheriff's-office account and in charging documents reported by local outlets; Reed has not been convicted of anything and is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove the case in court.

Source: My Mo Info — Sheriff Dave Marshak announcement, Nov. 8, 2026

The charges, in full

According to the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, Reed is charged with one count each of first-degree assault, first-degree domestic assault, first-degree burglary and stealing a motor vehicle, along with three counts of armed criminal action. In Missouri, armed criminal action is a separate felony count tied to allegedly using a deadly weapon in the commission of another felony, which is why a single night's alleged conduct can produce several counts stacked on top of the underlying offences.

What investigators say happened inside the High Ridge home

Investigators allege that on the evening of Friday, November 6, Reed unlawfully entered a residence in the 400 block of Thoreau Trail in High Ridge, an unincorporated community in northern Jefferson County, southwest of St. Louis. The Sheriff's Office says he was armed with a handgun and threatened a woman inside the home.

Source: My Parkland News, Nov. 8, 2026

The woman retreated into a bathroom for safety, and investigators allege Reed fired a shot in her direction. A second person was also inside the bathroom when the shot was fired. Neither person was injured, authorities said. The Sheriff's Office has not released details about the relationship between Reed and the woman, or about what led up to the reported confrontation.

A stolen vehicle, a pursuit into St. Louis, and shots at deputies

After the alleged shooting, investigators say Reed stole the woman's vehicle and fled the residence. A Jefferson County sheriff's deputy later spotted the vehicle and began a pursuit that continued north into the City of St. Louis. There, authorities say, Reed abandoned the vehicle and ran on foot. Deputies followed, and investigators allege Reed fired shots toward the pursuing officers. One deputy returned fire. Neither Reed nor any deputy was struck, the Sheriff's Office said.

Source: KMOV First Alert 4 — chase through multiple jurisdictions, Nov. 8, 2026

Reed was ultimately taken into custody by officers of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from the St. Louis County Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol — a three-agency ending to an incident that had crossed county and city lines. He is being held at the St. Louis City Justice Center.

Why this case matters beyond one street in High Ridge

For residents of High Ridge and the surrounding Jefferson County subdivisions, the case is a reminder of how quickly a domestic call can escalate: an alleged armed entry, a shot fired toward people sheltering in a bathroom, a stolen car, and then a pursuit that carried the danger onto roads used by everyone else and into a second jurisdiction. Pursuits that cross from a county sheriff's territory into a major city are among the most coordination-heavy operations in Missouri policing, which is why three separate agencies were involved in the final arrest.

What happens next

The allegations span incidents in both Jefferson County and the City of St. Louis, and the Sheriff's Office has not said whether additional charges are anticipated. Reed remains at the St. Louis City Justice Center on the no-bond warrant while the Jefferson County prosecution proceeds; a first court appearance date had not been announced in the sheriff's release. Awaaz Punjab will update this story if prosecutors file further counts or a court sets a hearing date. Anyone with information about the November 6 incident can contact the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.