Man arrested in connection to break-in at Sioux Falls Verizon store

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - Police have arrested a suspect in connection to the looting of a business that took place after protests turned violent in Sioux Falls.

Twenty-year-old Samuel Darsaw was arrested Thursday, according to police spokesperson Sam Clemens.

Clemens said police used fingerprint evidence to connect Darsaw to a break-in at the Verizon Store on 41st Street that took place on May 31. The business was one of several that reported damage after a march to honor George Floyd turned into a clash between protesters and police outside the Empire Mall.

Police previously arrested several other suspects in connection to that night, but Clemens said police had not had much luck with the Verizon break-in before they identified Darshaw.

Verizon Store at 41st St. and Kiwanis Avenue after it was vandalized May 31(KSFY)

An arrest affidavit said police used fingerprints from an iPad protective case found outside the store that night. After several week, the crime lab was able to identify one set of fingerprints as belonging to Darsaw.

Detectives tracked down Darsaw last week and interviewed him. The affidavit states he initially told investigators he was in Des Moines the night of the protests, but he admitted to being a part of it after police told him they had surveillance footage of him from that night. Darsaw admitted to being a part of a group of roughly ten people who went to the store to steal cell phones. He said he threw a couple rocks at the windows, but someone else eventually broke one.

Darsaw told investigators he never went into the store. He said another man handed him a stack of roughly 20 OtterBox iPod cases, and that he dropped several of them during the chaos. He eventually got a ride away from the store in the back of the pickup. Darsaw said he left the rest of the cases in the pickup because he had no need for them.

Police found several shell casings from a handgun that night. Darsaw said he was aware someone fired a gun that night. He denied knowing anyone else involved in the incident.

Darsaw was arrested for felony third-degree burglary and intentional damage to property.

The owner of the store reported roughly $1,500 worth of items were taken, and another $3,000 in damage was done to the storm.