Rochester Man Convicted in Bias-Motivated Assault

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Rochester man was given a jail sentence after an Olmsted County jury convicted earlier this week of a bias-motivated assault charge.

Started With Report of Disorderly Conduct

Court records indicate 54-year-old Jan Patrick Squire was arrested in January 2024 after Rochester police responded to a disorderly conduct call. The officers were told that an intoxicated man was trying to fight some people at the Flats Apartments in the 400 block of First Avenue Northwest in downtown Rochester.

Victim Was of Sudanese Descent

The criminal complaint says the officers located the victim, described as a man of Sudanese descent, who stated that he was visiting another person’s apartment with a friend and waiting to be let into the building when Squire approached them and told them they should not be there.

Punched in The face

According to court documents, Squire then began calling the victim a racial slur before punching the man in the head. The punch resulted in a cut near the victim’s left eye and bent his glasses.

The responding officers were then told that the victim threw a punch back at Squire, who retreated into a nearby apartment.

Struggled With Police

While the victim and his brother were speaking with police, the criminal complaint says Squire emerged from his apartment and told police he was the one who had punched the victim. He then told the officer, who detected the odor of alcohol coming from Squire, that there were “a lot of bad people” at the apartment complex.

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At that point, the criminal complaint says Squire tried to return to his apartment as officers attempted to detain him. It was alleged that Squire responded by ripping his arm away from the officers’ grip, which prompted them to take him to the ground and subdue him.

Verdict and Sentence

Squire was charged with a gross misdemeanor count of fourth-degree assault motivated by bias, a misdemeanor count of fifth-degree assault, and a misdemeanor count of obstructing the legal process. Olmsted County Court records show the obstruction charge was dismissed.

Squire has been sentenced to 10 days in jail with work-release privileges and one year on probation.