WILLMAR

– Suspicious

He is accused of shooting a man to death in New London.

He will also face criminal charges there after allegedly fleeing a domestic violence incident in Minneapolis.

Charges were filed against Ameer Musa Matariyeh, 26, of Minneapolis, in Hennepin County on Oct. 24, the same day he was charged in Kandiyohi County. An arrest warrant has been issued in the Hennepin County case and Matariyeh has yet to appear. No court date has been set.

Matariyeh was arrested on Oct. 22 on Highway 71/23 just outside Willmar after being pursued by multiple law enforcement agencies in Western Minnesota. Matariyeh fled a Minneapolis apartment where a domestic incident was reported earlier that day, authorities said.

Contributor / Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office

Matariyeh allegedly held his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint in her Minneapolis apartment, then began shooting at her and two other adult males as they fled, according to charges filed in Hennepin County District Court.

Three felony charges of second-degree assault and misdemeanor charges of domestic assault were filed in Hennepin County.

According to the criminal complaint here, officers responded to a report of a man firing a gun from the balcony of an apartment building in the 2900 block of South Lyndale Avenue around noon on Oct. 22.

When officers arrived at the scene, they learned that the suspect, Matariyeh, had allegedly shot at three people, including his ex-girlfriend. He told police that he and Matariyeh had a 2-year-old child in common and that he and the child lived in the apartment, but Matariyeh lived elsewhere.

The child was at day care at the time of the incident and was safely detained by other family members, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said last week.

The woman told officers that she and her current boyfriend were at the apartment when Matariyeh arrived. The man allegedly became extremely angry, began arguing, and at one point pushed her to the ground. He then allegedly pulled out a gun and put the gun to the back of his head.

Matariyeh also pointed the gun at her boyfriend multiple times as they continued to argue.

Eventually she and her boyfriend managed to escape from home.

Matariyeh allegedly followed them, brandishing a gun, as they left the building. At one point, he allegedly struck the male twice in the head with a handgun, according to the complaint.

At this time, another adult male arrived at the car to assist the two victims. Allegedly, Matariyeh pointed the gun at the man and ran towards his vehicle and started hitting the windshield with the gun.

While the three escaped, Matariyeh returned to the building.

A short time later, the woman told police she heard multiple gunshots. He also stated that while they were arguing, he saw a white powder under Matariyeh’s nose and that he appeared to be under the influence of drugs.

Police contacted Matariyeh by phone and learned that Matariyeh had fled the scene and headed west in a motor vehicle, according to the complaint.

During his meetings with negotiators, Matariyeh allegedly asked to speak to his ex-girlfriend, and at one point told the negotiators that he would kill bystanders if they could not talk to him.

Matariyeh is charged in Kandiyohi County District Court with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault and evading police in a motor vehicle.

Jerome “Jerry” Skulzacek, 55, of New London, was previously identified as the driver fatally shot on the highway outside Willmar. Matariyeh allegedly tried to steal the man’s vehicle to continue evading authorities.

Matariyeh is accused of shooting 25-year-old Peter Mayerchak less than an hour earlier at his home in rural Lake Lillian. The Kandiyohi Sheriff’s Office previously said Mayerchak was in stable condition and was expected to survive injury.

Matariyeh’s next hearing in Kandiyohi County is currently scheduled for Nov. 25. Matariye remained in custody at the Kandiyohi County Jail, where he was held Friday on $3.5 million bail.