The cop killer who shot and killed two police officers and a paramedic in Burnsville, Minnesota, on Sunday has been identified as new details have emerged shedding light on the tragic incident.
The assailant had an extensive history of violent behavior and was legally barred from possessing firearms.
This from redstate.com.
Shannon Cortez Gooden, a 38-year-old man, used multiple firearms to murder the three officials after they showed up at his home to answer a domestic violence call.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has confirmed the name of the man behind Sunday’s standoff in a Minneapolis suburb that left three first responders dead.
Shannon Gooden, 38, died after fatally shooting Burnsville police officers Matthew Ruge and Paul Elmstrand, and firefighter and paramedic Adam Finseth. Sgt. Adam Medlicott was also injured and has since been released from the hospital.
A report by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office lists Gooden’s manner of death as suicide.
The BCA says Gooden barricaded himself in his rented Burnsville home early Sunday morning. Also, inside were Gooden’s girlfriend and seven children who ranged in age from 2 to 15.
The BCA says all family members made it out of the home safely after Gooden shot himself.
The standoff started when police were called to the home “regarding an alleged sexual assault allegation” according to the affidavit filed by the BCA.
Gooden retreated into a bedroom and barricaded himself there. Officers started negotiating for his surrender, but “he did not cooperate,” the affidavit read.
Before dawn, Gooden shot at the officers with “what is believed to be multiple different firearms” and wounded the officers and the paramedic, the document continued.
Law enforcement later used a drone and found Gooden dead in the bedroom from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in his head.
The slain officers were identified as Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, both 27-years-old. The paramedic was named Adam Finseth, who was 40-years-old. Sgt. Adam Medlicott was shot, but not killed and is currently recovering at home.
The killings elicited an outpouring of grief from the community. A joint memorial service was held at Grace Church in Eden Prairie.
Gooden’s troubled background adds even more layers of complexity to the tragedy. In 2008, he was convicted after pulling out a seven-inch knife during a fight at a shopping center and throwing rocks at a woman’s vehicle. He also had two arrests for disorderly conduct in 2004 and 2005.
He was prohibited from possessing firearms because of his violent history.
Additionally, Gooden was accused of domestic violence on multiple occasions.
Court records show Gooden had two order for protection petitions filed against him, one alleging domestic abuse and the other alleging domestic assault. The Associated Press reports that the deadly standoff with police came only two days before a scheduled district court hearing over his ongoing legal disputes with the mother of his three oldest children.
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In 2017, the mother of at least one of Gooden’s children alleged that Gooden head-butted her face—causing a concussion and black eye—and threw her down the stairs. The court dismissed the court action because the woman failed to appear in court.
In 2020, the mother of at least three of Gooden’s children alleged that Gooden cut her clothes with a knife, causing her to fall down the stairs. She also said Gooden would pull her hair, throw her against the wall, and would let his family members assault her. The woman claimed she believed Gooden was going to kill her, but the court dismissed the court action because the allegations were not proven.
This senseless tragedy has devastated the community in Burnsville, which is still grappling with the aftermath of the incident. As it mourns the loss of the three men, it also highlights the problem of domestic violence and the challenges to preventing these types of violent acts.
Final thoughts: No new Gun Laws are necessary—enforce the current Gun Laws. Specifically, track down how Gooden came into unlawful possession of firearms, and prosecute whomever to the maximum extent of the law.
