BURNSVILLE, Minn. – A tragic incident in Burnsville, Minnesota, on February 18th resulted in the deaths of two police officers and a firefighter/paramedic. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) has released more details about the shooting, shedding light on the events that unfolded that fateful day.
According to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner, the officers, Matthew Ruge and Paul Elmstrand, and firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth, all succumbed to gunshot wounds. The shooter, Shannon Gooden, of Burnsville, also died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The preliminary investigation revealed that officers responded to a domestic incident at a home in Burnsville in the early hours of the morning. Despite their efforts to negotiate with the perpetrator for several hours, the situation escalated when Gooden unexpectedly opened fire on the officers inside the home.
The BCA has identified the three officers who discharged their firearms during the incident. Adam Medlicott, Officer Javier Jimenez, and Officer Daniel Wical, all with years of law enforcement experience, were involved in the exchange of gunfire with Gooden.
The standoff came to a tragic end when the shooter took his own life, leaving law enforcement to recover multiple firearms and a large amount of ammunition at the scene. The BCA is conducting a thorough investigation, with body camera and squad car camera footage being reviewed as part of the process.
The Burnsville Police Department has requested the BCA to investigate the incident comprehensively, including the events leading up to the 911 call, the confrontation itself, and the use of force by the officers involved. Once the investigation is concluded, the BCA will present its findings to the Dakota County Attorney’s Office for review.
This heartbreaking incident has shaken the community and law enforcement agencies, and the thorough investigation by the BCA aims to provide answers and closure to the families of the victims and the community at large.