South St. Paul officer who shot man brandishing gun identified; suspect charged

SOUTH STREET. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has identified the officer who fired his weapon after a man “brandished and pointed a gun” at officers last Friday.

South St. Paul police officer Dylan Naffzinger, who has a year and a half of law enforcement experience, fired his department's handgun during the incident, according to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

Police said two officers were responding to a disturbance call at a garage at an apartment complex in the 200 block of Grand Avenue West around 10:15 p.m. when they saw a man pointing a gun at them .

The police left the garage through a front door. While they were outside, the garage door opened and the man believed to have a gun was standing there, according to investigators. That's when Naffzinger shot the man.

No injuries were reported.

The man followed orders to get on the ground and slid a laser pointer that could be attached to a gun toward them, police said.

The man, identified as Demetrious Royal, 54, now faces a charge of threatening violence with a replica or BB gun.

Royal is not believed to be connected to the initial 911 call.

In the garage, investigators discovered a pellet handgun.

As part of its investigation, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is reviewing body camera footage of the incident.