Left: Terrell Ranzy (Dakota County Jail). Right: Matthew Lee (GoFundMe).
A 20-year-old man is behind bars in the death of a Minnesota college football player who was killed in a shootout between men in a small bedroom.
Terrell Anthony Ranzy faces charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter, and illegal possession of a firearm in connection with the death of Matthew Robert Lee, a 20-year-old football player at St. Olaf College in Northfield, located about 40 miles south of Minneapolis. A criminal complaint reveals that police in South St. Paul were called to a residence around 3:42 a.m. Friday, where they discovered an unresponsive man.
Upon arrival, officers were directed to an upstairs bedroom but had trouble opening the door because Lee’s body was obstructing it. Inside, they found Lee with two gunshot wounds and 20-year-old Keith Woodson Cox also injured with gunshot wounds to his arms and torso. Lee was declared dead on the scene, while Cox was transported to the hospital by paramedics.
Officers interviewed multiple witnesses who were at the house during the incident. They reported that Cox, Ranzy, the victim, and three other individuals had been socializing that night and eventually arrived at the residence around 3 a.m. All six men congregated in a small bedroom, where Cox and Ranzy began comparing firearms, according to the complaint.
Cox suggested to Ranzy that he should “keep one up top,” or ensure a bullet was in the chamber. Witnesses recounted that Cox, Lee, and another man then went into the nearby bathroom. In the bathroom, Cox, who hasn’t been charged, allegedly expressed a desire to rob Ranzy of his gun. Lee and the other man attempted to dissuade him. Nonetheless, Cox exited the bathroom, pointed a gun at Ranzy, and demanded his possessions, as stated in the affidavit.
Ranzy fell back onto the bed, shooting once into the ceiling before firing additional shots at Cox from a crouched stance, hitting both Lee and Cox, police say. Cox fired back but seemingly missed everyone.
“Two people in the room jumped out the window to avoid the gunfire,” cops wrote. “Witness described the victim as an innocent bystander.”
The investigation uncovered 14 bullet casings from two distinct firearms, the affidavit noted. Ranzy, who had been previously convicted for making violent threats and was banned from owning a gun, fled the scene but was later apprehended.
Now Lee’s teammates are continuing their season without the third-year linebacker.
“Matthew was just a great kid. A tragic loss because of the future that he had in front of him and the opportunities that were going to be presented to him,” St. Olaf coach James Killian told local ABC affiliate KSTP.
Killian also said Lee had a “great, caring personality.”
“Connected well and obviously that’s one of the big reasons why his loss has been felt so deeply,” Killian said.
Ranzy is at the Dakota County Jail on a $750,000 bond. He is next slated to appear in court on Sept. 25.
