Investigators Stumble Upon Hatchet Attack In Progress Near Menomonie

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Two criminal investigators stumbled upon a hatchet attack in progress at a known "drug residence" in western Wisconsin Wednesday.

The Dunn County Sheriff's Office says one of its investigators, working alongside a Menomonie police investigator as part of the West Central Drug Task Force, drove by a residence in the Township of Dunn where a drug-related homicide had happened last November.

While driving by, they witnessed a man grab a hatchet from a car and run towards the residence, wielding the tool above his head "in a threatening manner." They followed the man inside, where he had already struck a person twice with the hatchet, and was winding up for a third blow. The investigators drew their handguns and ordered the man to drop the tool, which he did.

Investigators later determined that the man, 50-year-old John Jeffery Rose, and his girlfriend, 44-year-old Rebecca Sue Davis, had allegedly gone to the residence to confront people about drug debts, and Rose had assaulted two other people inside before he went out to get the hatchet.

Rose is charged with several crimes, including recklessly endangering safety, battery, disorderly conduct and bail jumping. Davis is also charged with disorderly conduct and bail jumping. They're both being held at the Dunn County Jail.