BURNSVILLE, Minn. – The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has confirmed the identity of the man responsible for the shooting that claimed the lives of three first responders in Burnsville. Shannon Gooden, 38, died by suicide after opening fire on the first responders. Police officers Matthew Ruge and Paul Elmstrand, along with paramedic Adam Finseth, were killed while responding to a call for help. Meanwhile, Burnsville Sgt. Adam Medlicott was injured but has since been released from the hospital.
According to police, the armed man barricaded himself in a Burnsville home with seven children. Gooden’s name was initially heard through scanner reports identifying a man named Shannon as being barricaded inside the home. Later, sources close to the investigation confirmed his identity, including the mother of three of the children in the house at the time of the shooting.
Court records showed that Gooden had a history of convictions, including disorderly conduct in 2004 and 2005, and second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in 2007. He had also petitioned the court in 2020 for restoration of his rights to have a firearm, but the petition was denied.
Gooden had five children and cared for two others with his girlfriend. A video of Gooden on social media showed his interest in guns, with friends expressing disbelief that he could be involved in such a tragedy.
Noemi Torres, the mother of three of the children who survived the standoff, shared the harrowing experience of her daughter being in the room with Gooden during the shooting. Her daughter tried to escape the chaos by hiding in a bathtub, surrounded by loud noises and gunfire coming from Gooden. Ultimately, all the children were able to escape to safety after Gooden took his own life.
After recounting the events, Torres expressed the need for courts to pay closer attention to red flags in custody battles. She also lamented the loss of the three first responders, highlighting the tragic outcome of the situation.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine can be reached at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or via email at [email protected]. Additionally, for anonymous, confidential help, the National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.