The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has released details of a confronting incident in which a Minneapolis police officer shot Nathan Mellstrom Matz, 40, during what was reported as an active shooter situation on Saturday; Matz is now recovering in stable condition at HCMC, as per the BCA's statement.
Officer-involved shootings strike a deep chord in the Minneapolis community, and the actions of Minneapolis Police Sergeant Ben Bauer, a 12-year veteran of the force now on critical incident leave, are under scrutiny as the BCA continues their investigation into the events that unfolded early Sunday at an apartment building on Minnehaha Avenue where Matz, wielding an AK-47 rifle, engaged in a dangerous standoff with officers – ultimately leading to Sgt. Bauer discharging his service weapon once, striking Matz, in an incident with fortunately no additional injuries reported, according to the BCA.
The narrative began late at night on September 6, when officers first responded to reports of a man with a shotgun in the area; their initial search turned up nothing, but the situation escalated by 4:30 a.m. as calls flooded 911 dispatchers describing an armed individual discharging a firearm inside and outside the building, a return to the same address revealed Matz brandishing the rifle before being incapacitated by Sgt. Bauer's single rifle shot.
With the incident leaving behind signs of Matz's alleged gunfire in the damaged structures and vehicles surrounding the building, a recovered handgun found nearby in the stairwell could add another layer to the ongoing investigation—a painstaking process that's all too familiar in cities grappling with gun violence and police use of force; the BCA is dutifully examining the scene and will forward its findings to the Hennepin County Attorney's Office once the review is concluded, the agency reported.
