TROY, Mich. – A Troy Corewell employee who was reportedly shot by a coworker in March shared details about the relationship with the suspected shooter in court Tuesday.
Robert Paljusevic, 21, allegedly fired at least five shots at his coworker, striking him twice in the arm. He and the victim appeared in court for Paljusevic’s preliminary hearing Tuesday, July 1.
---> Troy Corewell Hospital shooting: Suspect listens to 911 call during court hearing
The shooting happened just after 7 a.m. on Thursday, March 20, 2025, in the parking garage of Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital. The shooting was called in as an active shooter situation and a warning was sent to staff telling them to “run, hide, fight.”
The hospital went into lockdown.
The victim, identified as 25-year-old Tyler Matoin, was treated for his injuries at the hospital. Paljusevic was arrested at a home in Macomb County shortly after the shooting occurred.
Shooting victim testifies
Just after 10 a.m., prosecutors called Matoin to the stand to speak. At the time of the shooting, he worked overnights in radiology at Corewell Health Beaumont Troy Hospital alongside Paljusevic.
Matoin said he was hired at the hospital after Paljusevic, but they quickly bonded and became friends, even adjusting their schedules to work together overnights.
Matoin said he viewed Paljusevic as a brother but that their relationship declined after Matoin’s father died. Paljusevic reportedly became more aggressive and kept directing conversations toward Matoin’s father, something he did not want to discuss.
He gave Paljusevic a prayer card from the funeral.
January 2025: Tensions rise at work
While in the breakroom at work, Matoin said he was texting a nurse about school when Paljusevic entered and demanded to know who he was texting. Matoin said he felt interrogated.
“Why are you being such a little [expletive] about this?” Paljusevic reportedly asked. “I’m just asking who you’re texting.”
Matoin said it was a very weird conversation that ultimately led to him calling Paljusevic the next day to tell him that he no longer wanted to be friends. While there had been invasive and aggressive behaviors in the past, Matoin said it had never happened at work before and that, “this isn’t how friends treat each other.”
“I was sick of it,” Matoin said. “I was finished with his behavior.”
Paljusevic allegedly responded with vulgarities and called Matoin a coward.
February 2025: Attempted reconciliation fails
Matoin said that Paljusevic texted him in February and suggested they meet up, so they planned to talk at a coffee shop in Utica.
The victim said he arrived early and bought two coffees and snacks in hopes of making amends. Matoin said when Paljusevic arrived, he didn’t seem strange, but was friendly at first.
Small talk reportedly shifted to Paljusevic saying that Matoin had wronged him, betrayed him and that “nothing is good anymore.”
After they left, Matoin said he received a Facetime call from Paljusevic, which he answered while driving. At a stoplight, he reportedly saw Paljusevic urinating on the prayer card and flushing it down the toilet.
“Wow, real classy,” Matoin said.
After that, Matoin said he stopped following Paljusevic on social media and got rid of his phone number.
Matoin said the harassment at work became more frequent and more intense, with Paljusevic allegedly berating him and cursing him out on more than one occasion.
When Matoin told Paljusevic that it was sacriligeous to urinate on the prayer card, he reportedly told the victim that he “doesn’t need God’s help, this is your problem now.”
March 2025: Harassment escalates
Matoin testified that there was an eraseboard at work that he would write fun facts about the day to raise morale among coworkers, but Paljusevic would erase them.
“I’m just going to write it again,” Matoin reportedly told Paljusevic.
“And I’m just going to erase it,” Paljusevic allegedly replied.
As the harassment at work continued, Matoin said he continued to feel more uncomfortable.
“I should have taken this more seriously,” Matoin said.
March 20, 2025: The shooting
Matoin said he was working a 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift that started March 19. He said it was a slow day and even texted a friend he was tired and ready to leave at 5 a.m.
When he clocked out, Matoin said he walked back to his car by himself, which was unusual.
As he entered his car, he said he saw Paljusevic approach him and ask “What’s up?”
“What is up?" Matoin reportedly asked in response.
The victim said he saw Paljusevic pull out a handgun and point it at his windshield. He recalled thinking it could be his last moments alive.
“As soon as I saw the gun, there were bullets within milliseconds. I ducked immediately near the steering wheel,” Matoin said. “When the gun was firing, I kept the door open. I didn’t think he would come around and I kept the door open as a means of an exit, as maybe a way to get out. I didn’t want to be trapped in the vehicle.”
Paljusevic reportedly fired five shots into the windshield before he came around to the driver’s side, where the door was still open, and continued to shoot until he either ran out of bullets or the gun jammed.
Matoin said he ran toward the hospital when he heard the gun clicking and shouted at every person he saw that there was a gunman and they needed to take cover.
Matoin had a bullet lodged in his shoulder and a shattered right humerus. Another bullet went through his left arm and one grazed his fingertips.
A nurse assistant took Matoin to the emergency center, where he was treated for his gunshot wounds. He said he used his functioning arm to text his mom to tell his boss that “it’s Robert.”
When asked on a scale of 1-100% how sure he was that Paljusevic was who shot him, Matoin replied “200%.”
Paljusevic was bound over for trial.
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