Man pleads guilty to shooting 2 people, leaving 1 dead, in Kandiyohi County

A 26-year-old man has entered a Norgaard guilty plea in connection with a crime spree that left one person dead in Kandiyohi County.

Ameer Musa Mataiyeh pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. Per a plea deal, one count of first-degree assault and one count of fleeing a peace officer are expected to be dismissed.

Minneapolis police were called to an apartment complex on a report of a man firing from the top floor.

RELATED: Man charged in crime spree that killed 1 and spanned from Minneapolis to Kandiyohi County | Suspected shooter, victims identified in shots fired incident that ended in Kandiyohi County

Matariyeh’s ex-girlfriend told police that she and a man were in the apartment when Matariyeh came over, and they started arguing. Court documents note that Matariyeh rented the apartment at the time, but the woman lived there with their shared child.

Matariyeh pointed a gun at the man and woman several times before they ran from the building. Matariyeh ran after them, waving the gun. He later hit the man in the head with the gun twice, court documents state.

A third person came to help, and Matariyeh pointed the gun at them before the group ran away. Matariyeh then ran back to the apartment and began shooting from the balcony.

Authorities then got report of an armed carjacking in Kandiyohi County. A few minutes later, dispatch said the suspect was at a home in Lake Lillian and that a man had been shot in the chest.

Authorities found a man who had been shot in the shoulder.

As officers caught up to Matariyeh’s vehicle, they saw him get out and approach another vehicle with a handgun. He then shot the driver in the head, killing him. He was identified as 55-year-old Jerome Skluzacek of New London.

Police were able to arrest Matariyeh after he ran across traffic lanes into the median.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 24.
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