A 39-year-old Saint Paul man is facing felony charges after police say he pulled a black folding knife on staff and threatened to kill a security guard during a confrontation at the newly opened Main Event entertainment center in Woodbury. Anthony Graham Clark now faces second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and fifth-degree assault charges filed in Washington County District Court following the August 22 incident.
Dispatchers received a report that a man was threatening people with a knife, and officers responding to Main Event saw Clark extending his arm and yelling aggressively at security personnel, according to MN Crime. Officers identified the man as Clark and detained him, finding a black folding knife in his possession. Police also noted Clark had slurred speech and an odor of alcohol on his breath at the time of his arrest.
A member of the venue's security staff reported that Clark had threatened him with the knife and told police that Clark said he was going to kill him, per the outlet's report. Witnesses said Clark approached patrons and a manager in a manner that made them fear he would harm them. For his part, Clark claimed that management and security were provoking a fight and that their actions toward him were unwarranted.
A Brand-New Venue Barely Three Weeks Old
The confrontation unfolded at a venue that had barely settled into its new home. Main Event Woodbury celebrated its grand opening on August 3, according to Woodbury Magazine, meaning the Texas-based chain's first Minnesota location had been open for less than three weeks when police were called. The 540 Bielenberg Drive location sits in Woodbury's Tamarack Hills area and spans 48,000 square feet, packing in bowling lanes, laser tag, more than 100 arcade games, a full-service bar, and a restaurant meant to draw large family and group crowds, according to Destination Woodbury.
Court records reviewed by the outlet show this is not Clark's first run-in with law enforcement in the Twin Cities metro. Just six months earlier, on February 14, West St. Paul Police in neighboring Dakota County arrested Clark on charges of fleeing a peace officer and disorderly conduct, according to Recently Booked. Further back, in September 2012, Clark was charged with assault following a late-night brawl at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds in Falcon Heights that involved an off-duty St. Paul police officer, as reported by CBS Minnesota.
What Clark Is Facing in Court
Second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon is a felony under Minnesota Statute § 609.222, Subdivision 1, and carries a maximum penalty of up to seven years in prison and a $14,000 fine even when no substantial bodily harm occurs, according to Sieben Cotter Law. The statute's reach hinges on Minnesota's broad definition of a dangerous weapon, which under Minn. Stat. § 609.02, subd. 6 covers any instrument calculated or likely to produce death or great bodily harm in the manner it is used — meaning prosecutors do not need to prove an actual stabbing took place to bring the felony charge, the firm notes. Clark also faces a fifth-degree assault misdemeanor charge, which under Minnesota Statute § 609.224, Subdivision 1 carries a maximum of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine for acts intended to cause fear of immediate bodily harm or death, according to Nickell Law Firm. The MN Crime report notes that assault degrees in Minnesota range from gross misdemeanor to felony exposure carrying up to 10 years, and that state law classifies assault by degree under sections 609.221, 609.222, 609.223, 609.2231 and 609.224. No court date has been set for Clark as of the filing.
The case will move forward in Washington County District Court, part of Minnesota's Tenth Judicial District, with felony proceedings heard at the courthouse in Stillwater, the county seat, according to the Minnesota Judicial Branch. The Washington County Attorney's Office is prosecuting the case through that same judicial district, per the MN Crime report.
A Rare Disruption in a Growing Suburb
The incident stands out against Woodbury's profile as one of the Twin Cities' fastest-growing and most affluent suburbs. The city is Minnesota's seventh-most populous, with an estimated 2025 population of 81,853 residents and a median household income exceeding $125,000, according to Washington County MN CDA figures. Violent public incidents remain relatively uncommon there, though Woodbury has seen isolated knife-related cases before — in February 2024, police responded to a stabbing along a walking trail near Markgrafs Lake involving a man in his 70s, an incident FOX 9 reported authorities later concluded was isolated and non-random.
