A suspect is in custody after a series of violent incidents that started in south Minneapolis and ended with two shootings and a carjacking in Kandiyohi County.

The initial incident began shortly after 12:30 p.m. when officers responded to reports of shots fired from the sixth floor of an apartment building on the 2900 block of Lyndale Avenue South in Minneapolis.

Lyndale Avenue was immediately shut down between W. 28th and 29th Streets as officers worked to secure the scene, with the suspect’s ex-girlfriend telling Minneapolis police that he was suicidal, according to initial law enforcement radio dispatches.

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Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said witnesses reported the suspect was firing shots from the balcony of a unit on the sixth floor. There were no injuries reported at the apartment, O’Hara said, and the initial incident is believed to be related to a domestic dispute between the suspect and his ex-girlfriend.

A negotiator made contact with the suspect and he initially indicated that he would cooperate with officers. Officers made entry and were uncertain if the suspect was inside. But by 1:50 p.m., it was learned that the suspect had at some point escaped the building and fled in a black Jeep Grand Cherokee.

According to initial information, the suspect fled west out of the Twin Cities at a high rate of speed, eventually shooting an adult male victim in the chest and stealing a different vehicle near 150th Street and Highway 7, near Lake Lillian. He then fled the area in the stolen vehicle, a white Chevy Malibu, and the gunshot victim was airlifted to Hennepin Healthcare in Minneapolis.

At least one of the vehicles the suspect used in his flight was tracked with OnStar and law enforcement had some phone contact with the suspect at points during the afternoon.

The final confrontation occurred just after 2:30 p.m. near the intersection of Highway 23 and Highway 71, just south of Willmar, when the suspect reportedly abandoned the stolen vehicle and shot another motorist in the head. CPR was initiated on the victim, and a medical helicopter was dispatched. The victim was later declared dead at the scene, sources have confirmed.

The suspect was taken into custody by around 2:35 p.m. without any apparent injuries. Law enforcement has since shut down the area around Highways 23 and 71 as the investigation continues. The earlier lockdown on Lyndale Avenue South in Minneapolis was then lifted.

“Today, multiple lives were put in harm’s way, with one person sadly losing their life,” Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Imran Ali said. “Our hearts go out to the victim’s family. Please continue to hold the victims, their families and our first responders in your prayers today,” Ali said.

Chief O’Hara confirmed in a late Tuesday afternoon news conference that the suspect was taken into custody near Willmar but more information on how he was able to flee the area of the south Minneapolis apartment has not been released. Authorities are continuing to investigate the long sequence of events.

FROM KANDIYOHI COUNTY SHERIFF:

”Shortly before 1 p.m., Minneapolis police were called to an apartment complex in the 2900 block of Lyndale Avenue South where a man was alleged to have fired several rounds into the street from the building’s top floor. As the situation unfolded in Minneapolis, authorities learned that the suspect was traveling west through several counties, including Kandiyohi County where investigators believe the man shot and injured a man at a rural Kandiyohi County residence.

The suspect was pursued to the Hwy 71/23 bypass southeast of Willmar where law enforcement believe the man attempted a carjacking and then fatally shot the driver. Law enforcement was able to take the man into custody without further loss of life or injuries. He was booked into the Kandiyohi County Jail and is being held on multiple charges including murder. No officers used deadly force in this incident.

The Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office is conducting the investigation with assistance from Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension agents and crime scene personnel.”

UPDATE | Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024

The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office has identified the deceased victim as Jerome Skluzacek, 55, of New London, Minn. The victim from the shooting near Lake Lillian is in stable condition and is expected to survive. He has been identified as Peter Mayerchak, 25, of Lake Lillian.

The suspect has been identified as Ameer Musa Matariyeh, 25, of Minneapolis. Investigation is still ongoing and authorities said no further information will be released as of now. Formal charges are expected to be filed against Matariyeh as soon as Thursday and he remains in custody ahead of his initial court appearance.

State court records do not show any convictions for previous violent crimes for Matariyeh.

Kandiyohi County Sheriff Eric Tollefson and several deputies were witnesses to the end of the violence, the department said.

“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 Office, written statement released Wednesday

UPDATE | Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024

According to formal charges filed in court Thursday, when officers caught up to Matariyeh’s vehicle near the Highway 71/23 bypass southeast of Willmar, they saw him approach and rear-end a green pickup truck on the road. Matariyeh allegedly got out of the Malibu, armed with a handgun, and approached the pickup truck before fatally shooting Skluzacek in the head. He was apprehended a short time later and the handgun recovered from the median.

While in the back seat of a squad car, Natariyeh reportedly said he “wanted to die,” and that he had thrown his life away because his “girl had cheated on him,” the documents revealed. He faces charges of second-degree murder, attempted murder, assault and fleeing police. Additional charges may be filed in the coming days.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, The Hotline is available 24/7/365. Call: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), Chat: thehotline.org or Text: "START" to 88788

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