Minneapolis, Minnesota – During a recent predawn standoff in a Burnsville neighborhood, state investigators revealed that Shannon Cortez Gooden unexpectedly fired over 100 rounds at police and first responders, resulting in the tragic deaths of two officers and a paramedic. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension provided detailed specifics about the incident that took place at Gooden’s residence on S. 33rd Avenue.
The three individuals tragically killed during the standoff were identified as Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, both 27 years old, and firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth, aged 40. A public memorial service has been scheduled for Wednesday at Grace Church in Eden Prairie to honor their lives. Another officer, Sergeant Adam Medlicott, was wounded during the ordeal but is currently recovering at home.
According to the BCA statement and a court document filed this week, officers responded to reports of a sexual assault at Gooden’s residence before 2 a.m. Although Gooden claimed to be unarmed and had children inside, he refused to leave the home. After a 3 1/2-hour negotiation, Gooden suddenly opened fire on the officers without warning, resulting in fatal injuries to Elmstrand, Ruge, and Medlicott inside the home.
Subsequent to the exchange of gunfire, Gooden was wounded in the leg by officers Medlicott and Daniel Wical. Tragically, as officers were moving from the home to an armored vehicle in the driveway, Ruge and Medlicott were shot for a second time, and Finseth was fatally wounded while trying to assist them. All three victims were pronounced dead at Hennepin County Medical Center.
The standoff continued as Gooden continued firing shots from the house, indiscriminately targeting officers and the armored vehicle. The situation ended when Gooden took his own life after exchanging gunfire with officer Javier Jimenez. Upon further investigation, officials recovered numerous firearms, a significant quantity of ammunition, and cartridge casings from the scene, indicating that Gooden had fired well over 100 rifle rounds at law enforcement and first responders.
Video footage captured by police body-worn and squad cameras has been made available to BCA investigators for review. Once the investigation concludes, the findings will be passed on to the Dakota County Attorney’s Office for further examination and potential legal action. The tragic events have left the community in mourning and the law enforcement agencies reeling from the loss of their colleagues.