BURNSVILLE, Minn. — The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has confirmed the identity of the man responsible for the deadly shooting that claimed the lives of three first responders in Burnsville. The shooter, Shannon Gooden, 38, died by suicide after opening fire on the first responders. Burnsville police officers Matthew Ruge and Paul Elmstrand, along with paramedic Adam Finseth, were killed Sunday morning while responding to a call for help. Burnsville Sgt. Adam Medlicott was injured but has since been discharged from the hospital.
According to court records, Gooden had a history of criminal convictions for disorderly conduct in 2004 and 2005, as well as second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in 2007. In 2020, he petitioned the court to have his firearm rights restored, but his request was denied. Gooden was also known to have a significant interest in firearms, as evidenced by his social media posts showing him firing weapons, and he was reported to have multiple firearms and ammunition in his home.
Gooden had five children and was caring for two others with his girlfriend. The mother of three of the children who were present during the standoff recounted their harrowing experience. Noemi Torres, who has three children with Gooden, revealed that her 12-year-old daughter was with Gooden in the room during the shooting. Her daughter attempted to escape by hiding in a bathtub while Gooden started shooting out the window. Despite the chaos, all the children were able to escape to safety after Gooden took his own life.
In light of this tragedy, Torres emphasized the need for courts to thoroughly investigate any red flags that may arise in custody battles to prevent such devastating incidents from occurring in the future.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or suicidal crisis, 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 Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@nami.org.