Rochester man faces three felonies after alleged home break-in and knife assault

ROCHESTER, Minn. — A Rochester man faces three felony charges after prosecutors allege he entered a northwest Rochester home through a child’s bedroom window, took two kitchen knives and injured a woman during a confrontation while a man and a young child remained behind a bedroom door.

Ramel Rodney Livingston, 25, is charged with first-degree burglary involving an assault, felony domestic assault and a threats offense listed in the supplied charging information as terroristic threats with reckless disregard of risk.

The alleged incident occurred October 31, 2026. The case was filed in Olmsted County District Court on November 2, according to the complaint information provided for publication.

Officers respond to report of an assault and stabbing

Rochester police officers were dispatched to the residence at approximately 7:34 a.m. on October 31 following a report of an assault and stabbing, the complaint states.

Officer Roussell encountered an adult woman who had blood on her left arm. The officer also observed a broken television and an open window with damaged blinds.

Officer Thompson later spoke with the woman and reported seeing blood on her upper left arm, left forearm, hands and beneath her chin. The complaint describes injuries and physical evidence documented by police, alongside accounts given by the woman and another adult who was inside the home.

Woman describes entry through a bedroom window

The woman told investigators that Livingston had been calling her repeatedly and that she had not answered. She said she was asleep in a bedroom with a young child and another man when she heard Livingston enter through a child’s bedroom window.

According to her statement, she got out of bed and told Livingston to leave. Livingston allegedly pushed her, went upstairs and retrieved two knives from the kitchen. He then returned downstairs and broke a television in the child’s bedroom, the complaint states.

The woman said Livingston next tried to enter the bedroom where the other man was. The man attempted to hold the door closed from inside.

She told police that she struggled with Livingston as he tried to get into the room and that she was cut during that struggle. The complaint alleges that she ended up on the ground at the bottom of the stairs, where Livingston punched her in the neck and kicked her.

Livingston then left the residence, according to the complaint.

Man says a knife blade was pushed through the door gap

Officer Donlinger interviewed the man who had been inside the bedroom. He told investigators that he woke up to the woman and Livingston yelling.

According to the complaint, Livingston was heard asking, “why do you have him here?”

The man said he heard tumbling outside the bedroom door and tried to keep it closed while he and the young child remained inside. Livingston allegedly pushed against the door and placed a knife blade through a gap in the doorway.

The man told the child to call for help. He then escaped through a window without shoes, the complaint states.

These accounts describe the confrontation from different positions inside the home. They remain allegations contained in the prosecution’s account of the investigation.

Police document cuts, a footprint and broken knife pieces

Officer Thompson photographed a cut approximately 1 inch long on the woman’s upper left arm, a smaller cut on her left forearm and bleeding scrapes on her elbow, according to the complaint.

Inside the child’s bedroom, the officer observed an open window with a missing screen, a muddy footprint on the bedding and a broken television.

Officers also recovered a knife handle and, later, a detached knife blade. The supplied information does not establish precisely when or how the knife came apart.

Investigators subsequently located Livingston at a different residence and arrested him.

Three felony charges filed

The first-degree burglary count cites Minnesota Statutes, section 609.582, subdivision 1(c). That provision addresses entering a building without consent under the statute’s criminal-intent or criminal-conduct requirements and assaulting someone inside the building or on its adjoining property.

The domestic assault count cites section 609.2242, subdivision 4. That subdivision provides a felony classification for domestic assault when the law’s requirements involving qualifying prior convictions or adjudications within a specified period are met.

The third count cites section 609.713, subdivision 1. Although the supplied charge description uses the term terroristic threats, the current statute is titled Threats of Violence. It covers direct or indirect threats to commit a violent crime with the required intent to terrorize or reckless disregard of the risk described in the law.

The filing of these charges does not establish that the alleged conduct occurred. Prosecutors must prove the charges in court.

Complaint cites earlier convictions

The complaint information identifies two previous convictions involving Livingston: second-degree assault in case 55-CR-21-1199 and misdemeanor domestic assault in case 55-CR-21-6758.

Those earlier cases are separate from the new charges arising from the October 31 incident. The supplied account does not include the complete judgments or sentencing records for those earlier proceedings.

Bail set at $50,000

Judge Kathy M. Wallace set bail at $50,000, according to the supplied court information.

The listed conditions include appearing for all future court dates, keeping the court and Livingston’s attorney informed of his current address, maintaining contact with an attorney, and refraining from using or possessing firearms or dangerous weapons.

The bail information does not establish whether Livingston has posted bail or whether he currently remains in custody. A subsequent hearing date or later case disposition was not included in the material provided for this article.

Livingston is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Source note: This article is based primarily on the criminal-complaint and bail information supplied for publication. KROC-AM News reported the charges and investigation on November 2. The full complaint and current court docket were not independently reviewed. Statutory explanations were checked against the Minnesota Revisor of Statutes.