Charges: Man shot by police outside Montrose Dollar General pointed gun at deputies

A man shot by Wright County Sheriff's deputies during a confrontation outside of a Dollar General store in Montrose has been charged.

Charges filed on Monday say 36-year-old Matthew Lyrek, of Montrose, was hospitalized after the April 15 incident. He made his first appearance in court on Monday.

Lyrek had multiple felony warrants at the time of his arrest. He was armed with four guns on April 15 when confronted by deputies and had nearly 30,000 rounds of ammunition and five more guns later recovered at his home.

Lyrek was also was involved in an April 2 incident when he fled police and threatened officers he would "exercise his Second Amendment" as he was armed, according to court records.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said seven deputies used force in the Dollar General arrest, with one of them firing his department rifle. They were identified as deputies Matthew Bilitz, Heath Gilliham, William Kenyon, Andrew Lundeen, Jeff McMackins and Jason Oltmanns. One of the deputies was working undercover and has not been publicly identified.

Deputies went to the Dollar General store at 631 Nelson Blvd. at 12:43 p.m. after learning Lyrek – who was the subject of three arrest warrants from three separate counties – was there.

The deputies noticed Lyrek wasn't inside his vehicle at the time so they planned to arrest him once he exited the store. Lyrek then walked to his vehicle as deputies shouted commands that he was under arrest.

The complaint alleges Lyrek then pulled out a handgun from his pants and pointed it at three of the deputies. A taser was then deployed by Kenyon, with Lundeen firing his rifle at Lyrek.

The Taser and rifle shots struck Lyrek, who continued to hold the handgun in his right hand while falling backwards. More less-than-lethal force rounds, in the form of a .40-millimeter foam projectiles, were fired at Lyrek, hitting him in the hip, while bean bag rounds were then fired at him as he continued to hold the gun.

Lyrek sustained two gunshot wounds, one each to his abdomen and back. He eventually dropped the gun and was arrested. Police found another handgun in Lyrek's waistband, and two more in his vehicle.

Wright County deputies don't wear any body cameras but police vehicle cameras captured portions of the incident. BCA agents are still reviewing all available video.

The complaint notes that Lyrek does not have a permit to carry firearms in public and is prohibited from possessing any.

Lyrek has been charged with four counts of 1st-degree assault, one count for obstructing law enforcement and two counts of illegal possession of a firearm. His next court date is scheduled for May 9.