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

WILLMAR, Minn. (FOX 9) - A Minneapolis man has been charged with murder after a standoff in the city led to a police chase into western Minnesota, and the shooting of two others.

Minneapolis standoff

Ameer Musa Matariyeh, 25, faces charges of second-degree murder, attempted murder, assault and fleeing police in connection to a 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 two victims – the suspect's ex-girlfriend, and a current boyfriend.

After making initial contact with Matariyeh, court documents say he was able to evade police and escape the building.

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 7, 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."

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.