Jeffrey S. Matson, 43, of Brooklyn Park, was shot and killed after an argument at Midway Saloon, 1500 University Ave. in St. Paul, on August 7, 2025.
Police reports say that Metro Transit officers stationed at a nearby light rail platform heard a gunshot before finding Matson with a chest and abdomen wound. Matson was brought to Regions Hospital for surgery, where he was pronounced dead.
Officers detained three men outside the Saloon following the incident. Davarius L. Clark, the Saloon’s bouncer, told police he shot Matson. The Saloon’s manager said Clark and Matson got into an argument over whether Matson was allowed to bring a bicycle into the bar. Clark has a valid permit to carry a firearm. He was charged in Ramsey County District Court with two counts of second-degree murder; the St. Paul Police Department is investigating the incident.
Matson delivered newspapers, including the Northeaster, throughout the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. He enjoyed traveling to sports games to hawk food and drink to customers.
In a conversation with the Northeaster, Richard Matson, Jeff’s father, said Jeff loved playing tennis and working sporting events.
“He would play tennis as much as he could,” Richard recalled. “That goes back to when he started playing it in junior high school. He was never a varsity tennis player, but he just enjoyed doing it.
“When he was a student at the U, he started working for Aramark (a company specializing in sporting-event food and merchandise) and working in concessions for football, basketball, hockey, soccer, volleyball — all that stuff — and he just kept doing it after he graduated. Eventually, that worked into being a vendor. He was a vendor at CHS Field, and US Bank and Gopher Football. Sometimes, he would work at Wisconsin football (events), or at the Bears (games) or for the Kansas City Chiefs: things he could take a bus to or drive to easily.
“Somewhere along the line,” Richard continued, “he got involved with delivering the neighborhood newspapers.” Matson helped deliver newspapers across the Twin Cities, working with publications such as the Midway Como Frogtown Monitor, the Longfellow Nokomis Messenger and the Northeaster.
Michelle Wefel, Matson’s girlfriend, said that his celebration of life will be held at CHS Field, 360 N. Broadway St., St. Paul, on his birthday, September 9, from 1-4 p.m.