Rochester man accused of tire pump assault competent to stand trial

(ABC 6 News) – A Rochester man accused of striking a community leader in the head with a tire pump was found competent to stand trial Monday, Nov. 18.

Malik Amin Johnson’s charges were also upgraded. According to an amended criminal complaint, Johnson faces a charge of 1st-degree assault–great bodily harm, a charge of 2nd-degree assault–substantial bodily harm, and a charge of 3rd-degree assault–substantial bodily harm.

Johnson allegedly struck Charles Jackson, who conducts charity work as “Yammy Bear,” causing a skull vault fracture, and cerebral contusion– a traumatic brain injury leading to bruising of brain tissue.

According to court documents, investigators allegedly viewed security footage of the assault, which allegedly showed Johnson winding up and swinging the tire pump at Jackson’s head while Jackson “sat defenseless.”

Last week, the prosecution filed a motion to seek an upward dispositional departure, or comparatively harsher sentence than expected for assault, based on Johnson’s alleged “particular
cruelty and callousness towards the victim who was defenseless at the time of the unprovoked
assault.”

Johnson’s pretrial hearing is scheduled for July 15, 2025, followed by a jury trial beginning July 21.

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(ABC 6 News) – A Rochester man is in jail following an assault at a halfway house Thursday.

Malik Amin Johnson, whose charging documents list the Damascus Way/Olmsted County Family Services address as his home, was charged Friday with 2nd-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, as well as 5th-degree assault–inflict bodily harm.

According to court documents, on April 25, Rochester police responded to a Rochester halfway house and found an adult man actively bleeding from the head “and making indiscernible sounds as if he was trying to form words.”

People treating the man and at the scene told police Johnson had struck the victim with a metal tire pump. The man with the injury was unable to provide a statement at the scene, given the severity of his injury.

Brian Fay, who was scheduled to speak about his criminal history and life at Damascus Way, confirmed Friday that Charles Jackson, also known as Yammy Bear in the Rochester community, was the victim in the attack.

Fay said Jackson is currently in the ICU, and last he heard, the doctors “expect him to pull through.”

“We just need prayers,” Fay said.

A GoFundMe has been started to help Jackson’s family with medical bills.

According to court documents, police located Johnson in a secure room at the scene, with a tire pump.

He allegedly admitted to hitting the injured man with it.

Johnson is currently held in the Olmsted County Adult Detention Center on $500,000 bail, with or without conditions.