Homeless Man Accused of Swinging Knife at Group in Rochester Business Parking Lot

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- A Rochester man is facing a felony charge for brandishing a knife and threatening a group of people in the parking lot of a local business. 

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That’s according to a criminal complaint filed in Olmsted County Court on Thursday. 

The court document says Rochester police responded to the report of a man “swinging a knife around and screaming” shortly before 9:30 Wednesday night. 

Homeless Man Arrested for Producing a Knife and Making Death Threats in Rochester Business Parking Lot

The call came from a business located along 4th St. SE. The business name is not listed in the complaint. 

A witness told police she and two other employees were in the parking lot when they encountered a man talking about police taking his phone. The complaint says the man became more agitated when he was asked what he was doing at the business. 

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He then walked away from the group, produced a knife, waved it and “began making threats that he would kill everyone,” the complaint states.

A second witness shared a similar account. Responding officers also saw video that corroborated the witness statements, according to the court document. 

Knife Found Near Suspect

Upon arriving at the scene, police encountered the suspect and identified him as 58-year-old Raymond Francis Rose. 

The complaint says Rose, who is listed in the court document as homeless, was screaming at the officers and was reaching into his pockets. 

An officer patted down Rose and found a folding knife on the ground that Rose identified as his, the court document says. 

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Rose is charged with one count of felony threats. He was released without bail following his first court appearance Thursday morning and is due back in court in September.