Man charged with murder in crime spree that began in Minneapolis and ended in western Minnesota

KANDIYOHI COUNTY, Minn. – A man accused of killing one person and injuring another when he led police on a high-speed chase in western Minnesota following a domestic violence-related altercation in Minneapolis was arrested on Charged Thursday morning.

Ameer Matariyeh, of Minneapolis, was charged in Kandiyohi County with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, assault and fleeing a peace officer.

The charges filed Thursday describe the chase and fatal shooting, but do not mention the altercation at the apartment in the Lyn-Lake neighborhood where police say he was present opened fire from a balcony with his ex-girlfriend – the mother of his child – and her current boyfriend. None of them were injured, police said on Tuesday.

Pursuit, shooting on a rural farm

According to the criminal complaint, Kandiyohi County officers learned of a stolen Chevy Malibu traveling west on Highway 7 around 1:53 p.m. Tuesday. Seven minutes later, they learned the Chevy was parked at a home on the highway in the Lake Lillian area and the suspect – identified as Matariyeh – was outside on the front lawn.

At 2:02 p.m., officers received a 911 call from the apartment saying a man had been shot in the chest. His wife, who was at his home during the shooting, told police that her husband was outside and she heard a bang.

When she looked out the window, she saw her husband and a person she didn't know yelling at each other, documents said. The complaint says her husband then came into the house and told her to get his gun because he had been shot. She said she could see he was bleeding and heard a few more pops.

Her husband told her that the man said he would shoot someone if he couldn't talk to his daughter, the complaint said. When she looked out the window again, she saw the man getting back into his car. She told police she heard six or seven shots fired, the complaint states.

Second pursuit, fatal shooting

The indictment says the Chevy Malibu was again driven westbound on Highway 7 at 2:04 p.m. The complaint describes officers' attempts to disable the vehicle, which was at times traveling at 130 miles per hour.

Matariyeh turned north on County Road 7 near Prinsburg and then eventually turned east on Highway 23 toward Willmar, the complaint states. On Highway 23, officers learned that Minneapolis police negotiators were on the phone with him and Matariyeh said he was attempting suicide by police officer.

At approximately 2:25 p.m., officers contacted OnStar to remotely disable the vehicle. Matariyeh then got out of the car and approached a small green pickup truck driving on the road.

An officer saw Matariyeh holding a gun and opening the driver's door of the pickup, the charges say. The officer then saw him holding the gun and backing away as if he was about to fire a bullet.

The attempted carjacking victim was later identified as 55-year-old Jerome Skluzacek of New London. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Arrest

Charging documents say that after Matariyeh shot Skluzacek, he ran across the highway into the median. Then he came back to the street and raised his hands above his head.

He spoke to negotiators in Minneapolis on his cell phone, documents say, and threw his gun into the ditch. Officers loudly gave him verbal commands not to move and he was taken into custody.

In the back seat of the patrol car, Matariyeh told officers he was throwing his life away because he had been betrayed, documents said.

“This was a very stressful situation, and I know it was particularly burdensome for the crisis negotiators who spoke on the phone with this individual,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said Tuesday afternoon. “I know our officers did absolutely everything they could, but it seems clear that this individual was murderous and was intent on committing violence.”

Note: The above video first aired on October 22, 2024, before charges were filed.

People can call for anonymous, confidential help National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress, get help Suicide and crisis lifeline by calling or texting 988. Trained crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day to talk about anything. You can also get help from the National Alliance on Mental Illnessor NAMI. Call the NAMI Helpline at 800-950-6264 or text “HelpLine” to 62640. There are more than 600 local NAMI organizations and affiliates across the country, many of which offer free support and educational programs.