BURNSVILLE, Minnesota – A 38-year-old man suspected of fatally shooting two police officers and a Fire Department medic before taking his own life at a home in Burnsville has been identified as Shannon Cortez Gooden. Gooden had a serious criminal conviction on his record and had a history of violent outbursts against two women with whom he shared children.
Gooden was convicted of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in 2007 and had encounters with police involving assaults, disorderly conduct, and numerous traffic violations, according to the County Attorney’s Office. Despite his past conviction, in August 2020, Gooden petitioned the court to regain his right to own a gun, citing a desire to protect himself and his family.
However, the County Attorney’s Office argued against this, pointing out the assaults and two orders for protection filed against him by women he shared children with. One of the women stated that Gooden gave her a concussion and a black eye with a head-butt, while the other woman claimed that he grabbed a knife and cut her clothes during an argument.
Although Gooden’s petitions to regain his right to own a gun were not successful, he was in possession of a gun at the time of the shooting. It is not yet clear how he acquired the gun, given that he was barred for life from owning firearms due to his past conviction.
Following the shooting, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are leading the investigation, working together to determine how Gooden obtained the gun he was prohibited from owning.
Furthermore, experts have raised concerns about the prevalence of illegal firearms circulating in the United States and the various ways in which individuals prohibited from owning firearms may still gain access to them. The ATF has expressed worries about guns being stolen from lawful owners, manufacturers, or licensed dealers, as well as “straw purchasing,” a practice where individuals who are not prohibited from buying firearms purchase them on behalf of those who are.
The case of Shannon Cortez Gooden highlights the challenges faced by law enforcement when dealing with individuals who are prohibited from owning firearms, as well as the broader issues surrounding gun violence and police-community relations. These concerns continue to be of great importance in efforts to address and prevent violent incidents involving firearms.