WILLMAR, Minn. — The Kandiyohi County Sheriff’s Office has identified the victims of a shooting spree that started in Minneapolis and ended near Willmar Tuesday with one man dead and another wounded. 

Office spokesman Imran Ali said in a press release Wednesday that 55-year-old Jerome Skluzacek of New London was fatally shot in what investigators described as a carjacking attempt on Highway 23 near Willmar. Earlier, the suspect reportedly shot 25-year-old Peter Mayerchak at a rural home in Lake Lillian. 

The alleged shooter is a 25-year-old man from Minneapolis who is currently being held in the Kandiyohi County Jail on probable cause second-degree murder. KARE 11 generally does not identify suspects until they are formally charged, a process that the sheriff’s office says will not happen on Wednesday. 

Irman Ali also shared that Kandiyohi Sheriff Eric Tollefson and several of his deputies were witnesses to the fatal shooting, and will not comment on the case publicly. 

“The deputies and other law enforcement officers that responded and apprehended the suspect risked their lives to protect their communities. These women and men are true heroes,” Ali wrote. 

Both Minneapolis police and Kandiyohi sheriff’s officials say the incident began Tuesday around 12:30 p.m. when MPD officers were dispatched to a domestic violence call at an apartment building at 29th and Lyndale. Officers learned shots had been fired from an apartment balcony but no one was hurt. Chief Brian O’Hara told reporters that the suspect and the woman who rented the apartment had a child together who was soon located safe at a daycare in Minneapolis. 

Crisis negotiators were able to reach the 25-year-old suspect by phone but were unable to convince him to surrender. They say the alleged gunman shot and wounded Mayerchak at a residence in Lake Lillian before leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase. When he got near Willmar, law enforcement said the suspect shot and killed Skluzacek in an attempted carjacking. 

MINNETONKA, Minn. — As teens have returned to school, many are participating – or will participate – in fall and winter sports. 

Federal data estimates that over 50% of young people between ages 6 and 17 played on a sports team or took after-school sports lessons, forecasting that number to increase to 63% by 2030.

Playing sports can have physical and mental health benefits, including strengthening social relationships with friends and family. However, it can also become overwhelming and even lead to lower mental health due to the many expectations some young athletes are put under. 

Dr. Abigail Miller, Chief Medical Officer at UnitedHealthcare of MN, joined KARE 11 News at Noon to offer tips for parents and promote mental health.

For more on the impact of youth sports and issues that impact young athletes, their families, coaches and officials, check out our serial blog SportsLife.  

ROSEVILLE, Minn — The City of Roseville has become the latest municipality in Minnesota to enact some form of a ban on plastics in the hope of lowering pollution. 

The city is going after non-recyclable to-go containers with a new ordinance encouraging the use of compostable packing. 

According to the ordinance, the new rules will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025, but enforcement won’t begin until a year later. The initiative is part of the city’s ‘Green To Go’ ordinance, which allows only compostable, recyclable or reusable containers.

Hospitals and nursing homes are excluded from the new rules, which also carve out an exception for any packaging that doesn’t meet standards, but for which there is no practical alternative.

Minnesota lawmakers have often discussed wider plastic-banning or limiting legislation, with such a debate occurring over the most recent session.