Shannon Gooden: Slain Burnsville shooting suspect who killed 3 first responders was denied permit to own guns

Less than two days after a shooting killed three first responders in Burnsville, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension identified the man responsible
PUBLISHED FEB 20, 2024
Burnsville shooting suspect Shannon Gooden fatally shot three first responders (Facebook)
Burnsville shooting suspect Shannon Gooden fatally shot three first responders (Facebook)

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

BURNSVILLE, MINNESOTA: Less than two days after a shooting killed three first responders in Burnsville, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension identified the man responsible.

Shannon Gooden, 38, died after fatally shooting the first responders, as per CBS News.

The victims were Burnsville police officers Matthew Ruge and Paul Elmstrand, and paramedic Adam Finseth, who were responding to a call. 

Burnsville Sgt Adam Medlicott was also hurt, but he left the hospital on Monday afternoon.

Who was Shannon Gooden?

Shannon Gooden's name was first heard on the scanner. Dispatchers said a man named Shannon was barricaded in a Burnsville home.

When Burnsville police close to the investigation said he was Gooden, officers found that Gooden was linked to the address where the shooting occurred Sunday morning.

(Burnsville Police Department)
Burnsville police officers Matthew Ruge and Paul Elmstrand, and paramedic Adam Finseth were killed in the shooting (Burnsville Police Department)

Property records show Gooden was renting the home where the first responders went.

According to court records, Gooden was convicted of disorderly conduct in 2004 and 2005. He was also convicted of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in 2007.

Shannon Gooden’s firearm request was denied in the court

Shannon Gooden (Facebook)
Shannon Gooden’s request to keep firearms was denied in court (Facebook)

In 2020, Shannon Gooden asked the court to restore his right to have a firearm. 

The petition stated that he proved himself to be a good citizen and needed the gun to protect himself and his family. However, the court denied his request.

Shannon Gooden revealed his fascination with guns

Gooden was a father to five children and looked after two others with his girlfriend. On social media, videos of Gooden revealed his fascination with guns. 

In the videos, he can be seen firing weapons multiple times, and according to scanner reports, he was known to possess several guns and ammunition in his home.

Gooden's friends express shock and disbelief that he could be connected to such a tragic event.

What did Shannon Gooden’s ex-girlfriend Noemi Torres say about the shooting?

The mother of three children, who was also in the house amid the shooting, survived the tragic event in Burnsville. 

In an interview with WCCO's Reg Chapman, Noemi Torres shared her harrowing experience of being in the house during the shooting. 

She revealed that her 12-year-old daughter remained in the bedroom with Gooden throughout the ordeal.

Torres, who shared three children with Shannon Gooden, recounted how her daughter sought refuge in a bathtub to escape the chaos.

Noemi Tores (CBS news screengrab)
Noemi Tores, who was also inside the house during the shooting, survived the tragic event in Burnsville (CBS news screengrab)

The girl recounted how Gooden began firing shots out the window, causing glass fragments to rain down on her. 

Torres mentioned that before taking his own life, Gooden expressed love for their daughter.

Additionally, his girlfriend's 14-year-old daughter was present and alerted others when Gooden stopped breathing.

Torres explained that her two sons are hearing impaired. The 15-year-old was startled awake by loud noises, while the 12-year-old, in the adjacent room, led two younger children into a closet, where they curled up in a protective position.

All the children managed to flee to safety following Gooden's death. She also expressed sorrow over the loss of the three first responders. 

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