Minneapolis man charged in standoff, shootings in western MN after chase

WILLMAR, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Minneapolis man has been charged in Hennepin and Kandiyohi counties after a standoff in the city led to a police pursuit into western Minnesota, and the shooting of two men, one who later died. 

Minneapolis standoff

Ameer Musa Matariyeh, 25, faces charges in Kandiyohi County of second-degree murder, attempted murder, assault and fleeing police in connection to the Oct. 22, 2024, standoff that began with police responding to an apartment building on the 2900 block of Lyndale Avenue South after people reported shots being fired from a balcony.

According to charging documents, Minneapolis police responded shortly before 1 p.m. to the apartment in the popular Lyn-Lake neighborhood. When officers arrived, they were flagged down by people who said a person was shooting from the apartment balcony.

First responders were then able to locate three victims – the suspect's ex-girlfriend, a current boyfriend, and another man. The ex-girlfriend told police the man with the gun, Matariyeh, was her ex-boyfriend. The two share a child together, and the child lives with his ex-girlfriend in the apartment. 

Court documents say that Matariyeh rents the apartment, but lives elsewhere. 

The ex-girlfriend told police that Matariyeh had come to the apartment earlier to threaten to shoot her and her current boyfriend. She believed that Matariyeh was still inside the apartment when police arrived. 

Officers were eventually able to make contact with Matariyeh by phone, and learned he had left the apartment and was driving. 

According to court documents, during conversations with police negotiators, Matariyeh was "extremely upset" and was "demanding" to talk to his ex-girlfriend, and at one point said he would "kill bystanders" if he was not able to talk to her. 

Around 1:53 p.m., several law enforcement agencies were notified of Matariyeh traveling westbound on Highway 7 in a stolen vehicle that was acquired in a carjacking, charges say.

When located again, he continued to lead police on an extended chase into Kandiyohi County, the complaint says. 

Western Minnesota chase, shootings

Once in Kandiyohi County, charges say Matariyeh shot one man in the chest at a farm site in rural Lake Lillian before again fleeing police at high speeds.

According to charges, Minneapolis Police were still in contact with Matariyeh, who said that he "was willing to shoot cops."

In charging documents, the victim’s wife stated that her husband had been doing some yard work when she heard a "pop" noise outside. While also hearing yelling, she said her husband came into the house and told her to "get his gun" because he had just been shot.

The victim’s wife stated that she had never seen Matariyeh before, according to charges, but her husband said that, "[He] said he was going to shoot someone if he can’t talk to his daughter."

After leaving the Lake Lillian residence, police were alerted around 2:04 p.m. that Matariyeh had again been located driving along Highway 7.

At 2:09 p.m., Matariyeh’s vehicle was spotted driving through the interchange of Highway 71 and Highway 7 as it continued west.

Four minutes later, the Carver County Sheriff’s Office was connected with the in-vehicle communication system OnStar, which said they could disable the vehicle when authorities were ready.

Matariyeh’s vehicle continued to travel at speeds in excess of 130 mph, and faster than squad cars that were attempting to get into position to stop him, charges state.

At 2:25 p.m., OnStar successfully shut off the vehicle.

Matariyeh then fled on foot, across the four-lane bypass of Highway 71 and Highway 23, at which point he shot another man during a carjacking attempt of a Chevy pickup in another effort to get away.

Now surrounded by responding police, Matariyeh raised his hands above his hands after throwing a handgun in the ditch, according to charges.

While secured in a squad car, Matariyeh allegedly told police that he wanted to "go out by suicide by cop."

What happened before the standoff? 

According to the charges filed in Hennepin County, the ex-girlfriend told police that earlier that day, she and her current boyfriend were at the apartment when Matariyeh came over. He was "extremely angry" and an argument ensued.

Matariyeh allegedly pushed down the woman, pulled out a handgun, and stuck it to the back of her head, court documents say. Matariyeh was reportedly yelling at the woman asking if she was dating the other man in the apartment.

During the altercation, Matariyeh allegedly pointed the gun multiple times at both the victims. Ultimately, both the victims were able to escape the apartment, but Matariyeh followed them, waving his gun around, the charges said.

As the victims left the building, Matariyeh went up to the man and struck him twice in the head with the gun. At the same time, a friend of the victims arrived to help, and Matariyeh pointed the gun at him immediately, court documents allege.

Matariyeh then ran up to the friend's car and started hitting the windshield with the gun. The three victims fled and Matariyeh went back inside the building.

Court documents say that the woman said it appeared that Matariyeh had been on drugs, with her seeing a "white powder" under his nose as they were arguing. 

The friend that arrived to help told police that when he got to the apartment building that day, Matariyeh "came at his car, pointing the gun at him" and threatened to shoot him, so the friend drove away. 

The friend then met up with the other male victim in a nearby parking lot and walked towards the apartment building when Matariyeh then reportedly started shooting at the two from the woman's apartment balcony. 

Matariyeh is seen on video that was taken by a bystander, on the balcony of the apartment, pointing a gun downwards. Matariyeh then reportedly saw the bystander and pointed the gun at them, court documents say. 

Matariyeh is charged in Hennepin County with three counts of second-degree assault with a deadly weapon, and one count of misdemeanor domestic assault. 

Victim IDs

The Midwest Medical Examiner's Office identified the victim in the highway shooting near Willmar as Jerome Skluzacek, 55, of New London.

The Kandiyohi County Sheriff's Office says the victim from the shooting in Lake Lillian is in stable condition and is expected to survive. He's been identified as a 25-year-old man from Lake Lillian.

What they're saying

"Please keep the victims and their families in your thoughts and prayers and respect their privacy during this difficult time. The deputies and other law enforcement officers that responded and apprehended the suspect risked their lives to protect their communities. These women and men are true heroes," Kandiyohi County Sheriff's spokesperson Imran Ali said in a statement.