Witnesses recall man firing AK-47 into Minneapolis homes: Charges
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Charges filed against the man accused of firing an AK-47 inside a Minneapolis apartment building reveal witness accounts from people who had gunfire rip through their homes.
New incident details
The criminal complaint reveals the response of Minneapolis police officers when they heard gunfire inside the apartment building.
A report by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) released earlier this week identified the suspected shooter as Nathan Mellstrom Matz, a 40-year-old man who lived at the Minneapolis apartment building where the shooting happened.
READ MORE: BCA IDs man shot by police after firing AK-47 in Minneapolis apartment building
After containing Matz to a stairwell, one of the officers ordered him to drop his rifle, charges say.
The complaint states that Matz "refused to drop his rifle for approximately one minute and twenty seconds."
This led to Minneapolis Police Sgt. Bauer, who reportedly has 12 years of law enforcement experience, firing a single shot that struck Matz in the jaw. Sgt. Bauer is reportedly on standard critical incident leave.
READ MORE: Minneapolis police shoot suspected active shooter, no other injuries reported
Resident armed with knife and a skillet
A resident of the apartment building told police he was in his third-floor unit when he heard loud noises.
He then stepped outside his unit and saw Matz crouched down with a long gun.
The resident said he then retreated back into his apartment unit and "armed himself with a butcher knife and a cast iron skillet as he called 911", according to the criminal complaint.
Investigators say they found a bullet hole close to where the resident was standing when he stepped out of his apartment.
Tenant wakes up to shots fired through his floor
Another apartment resident told police he woke up to the sound of gunfire before realizing it was coming through his apartment floor.
The complaint states that the half-asleep resident put his finger through one of the bullet holes to verify what was happening.
He then got dressed as gunfire continued to ring out in other parts of the apartment.
The resident told police he thought it was a "life or death situation" and added the gunshots were fired in a "semicircle", according to the criminal complaint.
Neighbor's house struck
A house across the street from the apartment was also struck by gunfire. The homeowner reported that she heard about five gunshots, and believes her home was targeted.
What comes next?
A future court date has not been set as of Sept. 12.
Matz is charged with three counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, each of which carries a maximum sentence of seven years.
The BCA is still investigating the case.