Rochester Man Accused of Threating Kids, Store Clerk with Knife
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- A Rochester man is facing multiple felony threats charges for allegedly threatening three kids and a store clerk with a knife last month.
Court documents filed Thursday also accuse 21-year-old Damien Rose of stealing a backpack from the three juveniles as well as sunglasses from a Rochester convenience store. The criminal complaint says on September 19 Rose went to the Apollo Superette at the intersection of 11th Ave. and 4th St. Southeast where a clerk saw him try on sunglasses and walk out of the store without paying for them around 5:30 p.m.
The clerk left the store to pursue Rose in his vehicle and spotted Rose taking a backpack from the kids while riding his bike along 2nd St. Southeast. Rose abandoned the backpack and told the clerk to stop following him before brandishing a knife and threatening to hurt the clerk, the criminal complaint says.
All three of the juveniles attempted to chase Rose down after he allegedly took the backpack. One of the kids went back to the home they were gathered at to lock the door when Rose circled back and threatened to slit the juvenile’s throat while brandishing a knife, according to the complaint.
The two other kids maintained their pursuit of Rose along 2nd St. Southeast until he showed them the knife and also threatened to cut them, the charges say. Investigators identified Rose through surveillance footage captured at the Apollo store and spotted him walking by a squad car on September 24.
Rose admitted to the officer that he stole the sunglasses and had a knife but denied making threats. Rose has been charged with four felony counts of terroristic threats and two misdemeanor theft counts.
He made his first court appearance by remote on Thursday and his bail was set at $50,000. Court records indicate Rose was charged in two other cases involving theft and property damage earlier this week. He’s in custody at the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center.