BURNSVILLE, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has released new details regarding the tragic shooting that occurred in Burnsville on February 18th, resulting in the deaths of two police officers and a firefighter/paramedic. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner has confirmed that officers Matthew Ruge and Paul Elmstrand, along with firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth, died from gunshot wounds inflicted by Shannon Gooden, 38, of Burnsville, who ultimately died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Further information provided by the BCA identifies the three Burnsville police officers who discharged their firearms during the incident. Adam Medlicott, Officer Javier Jimenez, and Officer Daniel Wical were all involved in the response to the domestic incident that led to the tragic events.
Preliminary investigation indicates that the officers responded to a domestic incident in Burnsville before 2:00 a.m. Upon arrival, they engaged in negotiations with Gooden for approximately three and a half hours in an attempt to peacefully resolve the situation. However, at about 5:26 a.m., Gooden unexpectedly opened fire on the officers inside the home.
The situation escalated further, resulting in multiple casualties as officers returned fire and Gooden continued to shoot at law enforcement and first responders. The BCA reports that Gooden fired over 100 rifle rounds during the incident. The standoff finally ended when Gooden took his own life, and law enforcement discovered several firearms and a large amount of ammunition at the scene.
Authorities are currently reviewing body camera and squad car footage of the incident as part of an active investigation. The Burnsville Police Department has requested the BCA to investigate the incident in its entirety, including the events leading to the 911 call and the officers’ use-of-force. Once the investigation is complete, the BCA will present its findings to the Dakota County Attorney’s Office for review.