Man charged with attempted arson of St. Cloud Community Outpost

A man has been charged with attempted arson of a Community Outpost in St. Cloud last month.

St. Cloud Police said Wednesday that 22-year-old Deantae Demond Davis is charged with first-degree attempted arson.

Police said investigators followed up on arson activity that occurred at the outpost on the morning of June 17 at about 3:07 a.m. and learned that a Molotov cocktail had been thrown at the house the previous morning. The device didn’t start a fire, however.

A criminal complaint states surveillance video caught a person throwing a Molotov cocktail early on the morning of June 16, but the device hit a parked car and bounced off while the suspect fled. Based off what the suspect was wearing, investigators determined Davis was that person.

Davis is currently in custody in Benton County on unrelated charges, police said.

The complaint states Davis is also under investigation in connection to multiple shootings, robberies and gun charges in the city in the weeks surrounding the incident.

It adds that Davis’ brother told police Davis admitted to him that he threw a Molotov cocktail at the outpost and had practiced making them in their backyard.

Police ask for public’s help identifying suspects in St. Cloud arson

The investigation into the June 17 arson remains under investigation.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police at 320-251-1200.

If convicted, Davis faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $10,000 fine or both.