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BCA IDs man shot by police after firing AK-47 in Minneapolis apartment building

By FOX 9 Staff
Published  September 9, 2024 6:46pm CDT
Crime and Public Safety
FOX 9

MPD: Officer shot suspect who was firing AK-47

Minneapolis police released more information on an incident where an officer shot a man who was firing an AK-47 in a Minneapolis apartment building early Saturday morning.

The Brief

    • The BCA identified Nathan Mellstrom Matz, 40, as the man shot by Sgt. Ben Bauer of the Minneapolis Police Department during an active shooter situation.
    • Matz was shot in the jaw and is in stable condition; Sgt. Bauer, a 12-year veteran, is on critical incident leave.
    • The incident began with reports of a man with a shotgun; Matz later fired rounds from an AK-47-style rifle during a standoff.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has identified the man shot by police and the officer involved in a shooting during an active shooter situation early Saturday in Minneapolis.

What's new?

  • The BCA says Nathan Mellstrom Matz, 40, of Minneapolis, was shot by Sgt. Ben Bauer of the Minneapolis Police Department.
  • Matz, who is a resident of the apartment building where the incident occurred, remains hospitalized in stable condition at HCMC with a gunshot wound to the jaw. He is expected to survive.
  • Sgt. Bauer, a 12-year veteran, fired a single shot, striking Matz. Bauer is currently on standard critical incident leave.

What happened?

The incident began late Friday night when Minneapolis police responded to reports of a man with a shotgun near the 4000 block of Minnehaha Avenue. Officers did not find anyone matching the description at that time. Hours later, around 4:30 a.m. on Saturday, police received additional 911 calls reporting an active shooter firing shots both inside and outside the apartment building.

At the scene, officers found Matz in a stairwell with an AK-47. They kept him contained in the stairwell as they evacuated the building. Police said Matz would periodically fire shots with the AK-47 during this period. Matz was also wearing a non-ballistic military-style flak vest at the time of the shooting.

Around 5:30 a.m., Sgt. Bauer fired his rifle, hitting Matz in the stairwell.

What's next?

The BCA is investigating the incident. Once complete, the findings will be submitted to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office for review. No other injuries were reported, and there is no ongoing threat to the public.