A woman from Burnsville has admitted guilt in a case involving the illegal purchase of firearms, which were later used in a tragic shooting incident. U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger announced that the woman pleaded guilty to buying multiple firearms for her partner, Shannon Cortez Gooden, who is prohibited by law from possessing them due to his criminal record.
Court documents reveal that between September 2023 and January 2024, the defendant acquired five firearms from two licensed dealers and transferred them to Gooden. Among these weapons were three semiautomatic AR-15–style firearm lower-receivers, including a Franklin Armory FAI-15 .300 caliber firearm with a binary trigger, which increases the firing rate. The defendant was aware that Gooden was using .300 Blackout ammunition, known for its increased lethality.
On February 18, 2024, Gooden used two of these firearms in an attack on first responders at his home in Burnsville. The assault resulted in the deaths of police officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge and firefighter paramedic Adam Finseth. A third officer was injured during the incident.
The defendant entered her guilty plea in U.S. District Court before Judge Jerry W. Blackwell on charges related to straw purchasing. Her sentencing will be scheduled at a future date.
The investigation into this case was carried out by several agencies including the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Burnsville Police Department. They received support from the Dakota County Attorney’s Office and the Burnsville Fire Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristian Weir and Thomas Calhoun-Lopez are leading the prosecution efforts.