A Buffalo man with a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt is facing the possibility of spending the rest of his life behind bars after being indicted on a sweeping set of charges stemming from a violent domestic incident, an alleged s3xual assault, and the wounding of a police officer during his arrest.
Minhaz Siddiqui, 33, was arraigned at Erie County Medical Center before State Supreme Court Justice Kelly Vacco following a grand jury indictment. He remains hospitalized and is being held without bail.
According to Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane, the charges allege that over the course of roughly 24 hours spanning May 25 and May 26, 2026, Siddiqui repeatedly caused physical injury to a woman with whom he shared an intimate partner relationship.
A Buffalo officer was shot 6 times during a domestic call this week.
The wife called 911. Her husband had locked her in a room, threatened her with a pistol, and said he was going to kill her.
Buffalo PD entered through a side door. They found 33-year-old Minhaz Siddiqui in the… pic.twitter.com/OLonHOygpf
— Former Lawman (@formerlawman) May 30, 2026
Prosecutors allege he struck her with multiple objects inside a residence on Sherman Street in Buffalo, applied pressure to her neck in a manner intended to restrict normal breathing and blood circulation, and forcibly engaged in s3xual conduct with her while allegedly threatening the immediate use of a f*rearm.
Buffalo Police responded to a 911 call reporting DV at the Sherman Street address at approximately 2:07 p.m. on May 26. As officers attempted to place Siddiqui under arrest inside the home, he allegedly fired multiple rounds from a concealed p*stol. One officer sustained injuries to his upper arm and both legs and was hospitalized for one week.
Siddiqui was subsequently struck by return fire from another officer, sustaining wounds to his leg and torso. Officers on scene immediately rendered aid before he was transported by ambulance to ECMC, where he continues to receive treatment.
The DA’s office conducted a review of the incident and cleared the officers who fired.
“My office conducted a thorough review of this officer-involved sh0oting. We have determined that the actions of the police officers were justified. The members of the Buffalo Police Department who fired the sh0ts that resulted in injuries to the defendant were justified in their use of force,” said Erie County DA Mike Keane.
The Buffalo Police Department has since released body camera footage from the officers present at the scene.
The charges against Siddiqui carry serious consequences. If convicted on the most serious count, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole, with the realistic sentencing range placing him at 20 years to life.
Siddiqui, originally from Bangladesh, had been a student at the DYU School of Pharmacy with a projected graduation in 2027. He trained under Buffalo United Martial Arts and in October 2024 earned a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu through Essential BJJ.
His Instagram profile, under the handle americana_artist, listed his belt achievement alongside notes about his 2023 Ford Mustang Mach 1 and his pharmacy studies.
A pre-trial conference is scheduled for Tuesday, July 21, 2026. A temporary order of protection has been issued on behalf of the woman and any witnesses involved in the case.
The matter is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Eugene T. Partridge III, Chief Gina M. Gramaglia of the Domestic Violence Bureau, and Assistant District Attorney Frank A. Strano of the Homicide Bureau.
