HCAO charges man in armed standoff at Minneapolis apartment building

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced today that a man who repeatedly fired a gun inside a south Minneapolis apartment building last week will face felony assault charges. The HCAO charged Nathan Mellstrom Matz, 40, with three counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon.

“Mr. Matz’s dangerous actions put an entire apartment building and neighborhood at risk and I’m grateful no one was hurt,” said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty. “We must act with urgency to prevent gun violence in our community and ensure community safety.”

On Sept. 7 at about 4:30 a.m., Minneapolis police received several 911 calls about an active shooter at an apartment building on the 4000 block of Minnehaha Avenue. As police arrived, they heard more gunshots and started evacuating residents.

Officers evacuating people on the second floor discovered Mr. Matz in a stairwell with an AK-47. An officer ordered him to drop the weapon, and when Matz refused to do so, the officer shot Matz and disarmed him. Matz is in the hospital and is expected to survive.

One of the victims was in his own apartment upstairs when he heard loud noises, stepped out, and spotted Matz crouched down and holding a long gun. The victim ran back inside his apartment and called 911. BCA agents who interviewed residents saw a bullet hole near where the resident had been standing.

Another victim on the third floor said he awoke to the sound of gunfire and realized it was coming through his floor. He put his finger through one of the bullet holes to confirm that’s what he was hearing. Gunshots were fired in a semi-circle around him.

A house across the street was struck by bullets, and the victim told investigators she believes Matz targeted her home. None of the victims were injured.

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