A Minneapolis man accused of a violent crime spree that left one man dead and another injured has entered a Norgaard plea, a legal move where a defendant admits guilt but claims not to remember committing the crime.
According to Kandiyohi County court records, 26-year-old Ameer Matariyeh entered the plea on Friday. By doing so, he acknowledges that he is not innocent and that the evidence supports the charges, even though he says he cannot recall the events.
Charges Across Two Counties
Matariyeh faces serious charges in two different counties. In Kandiyohi County, he has been charged with:
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Second-degree murder
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Attempted second-degree murder
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First-degree assault
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Fleeing police in a motor vehicle
In Hennepin County, he is also charged with three counts of felony assault with a dangerous weapon and one misdemeanor count of domestic assault. That case is still ongoing. His sentencing in Kandiyohi County is scheduled for November 24, 2025.
The Beginning of the Incident
The case stems from a series of violent events that unfolded on October 22, 2024. Minneapolis police first responded to a domestic violence call at an apartment building near Lyndale Avenue South and West 29th Street. Reports indicated that Matariyeh had confronted his ex-girlfriend, who is also the mother of his child, and her boyfriend.
When officers arrived, Matariyeh allegedly opened fire from his apartment balcony at the couple. Fortunately, no one was hurt. By the time police entered the apartment, he was gone. Negotiators later reached him by phone and learned he had fled the city.
The Chase Through Kandiyohi County
Around 1:53 p.m., Kandiyohi County deputies learned that a Chevy Malibu had been stolen and was heading west on Highway 7. The driver was identified as Matariyeh. Shortly after, he appeared at a home in Lake Lillian, Minnesota.
At that home, tragedy struck. A man who lived there went outside and was shot in the chest. His wife, who was inside the house, later told police she heard a popping sound before her injured husband came back inside and told her he had been shot. He survived but was seriously hurt.
Matariyeh then returned to the stolen car and sped away, reaching speeds of up to 130 miles per hour. Deputies chased him as he continued west, while police negotiators remained on the phone with him. According to court documents, Matariyeh said he planned to “attempt suicide by cop,” meaning he wanted police to kill him.
The Fatal Shooting of Jerome Skluzacek
Deputies eventually contacted OnStar to remotely disable the stolen vehicle. At around 2:25 p.m., the car came to a stop. Instead of surrendering, Matariyeh got out and approached a green pickup truck driving on the road.
He then shot and killed the driver, identified as 55-year-old Jerome Skluzacek of New London, Minnesota. Skluzacek’s sudden death shocked the small community, as he was described by locals as a well-liked neighbor and family man.
After the shooting, Matariyeh crossed the highway and walked into the median before raising his hands. He was still on the phone with Minneapolis police negotiators. At one point, he threw his gun into a ditch before deputies moved in and arrested him.
Aftermath
Once in custody, Matariyeh reportedly told officers that he felt like he was throwing his life away because he had been cheated on. His violent spree, which began with domestic violence in Minneapolis, escalated into a high-speed chase, a shooting that left one man wounded, and another killed.
With his Norgaard plea now entered, the court has confirmed that he accepts responsibility for the crimes despite claiming memory loss. The families of the victims continue to wait for closure as the legal process moves forward.
