Man who fatally shot 2 Minnesota officers and 1 first responder died by suicide, medical examiner says

The man who fatally shot two Minnesota police officers and a first responder over the weekend while barricaded inside a home died by suicide, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner said.

Shannon Cortez Gooden was armed with several guns and large amounts of ammunition when he opened fire Sunday on law enforcement officers responding to a domestic violence call. The 38-year-old had barricaded himself inside a home in Burnsville with seven children between the ages of 2 and 15, officials said.

Police were attempting to negotiate with Gooden when he shot and killed officers Paul Elmstrand, 27, and Matthew Ruge, 27, as well as Adam Finseth, 40, who worked as a firefighter and paramedic. 

Another officer, Adam Medlicott, was shot and injured and is expected to survive.

Police responded to the home around 1:50 a.m. local time Sunday for “a call of a family in danger.” Drew Evans, the superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension in the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, said it was a “domestic violence situation” and that the children were inside the home with the suspect.

Gooden shot at the police officers from multiple areas in the home, including from the “upper portion” and the main floor, Evans said. Officers returned fire from outside the home. At least one of the officers was shot inside the home, according to Evans.

Gooden was reported dead around 8 a.m. Sunday.

Court records showed that Gooden was prohibited from owning firearms after he was convicted of second-degree assault in 2007, when he was 21. According to Mathew K. Higbee, his attorney at the time, the incident happened in a mall parking lot and involved a knife.

In 2020, the attorney tried to reverse what he believed was a “harsh” ban, arguing that Gooden was “not a dangerous criminal” or a “potential risk to the community.”

In his plea, Higbee wrote that Gooden had done everything he could “to put himself back on his feet,” had taken anger management classes while incarcerated and had provided for his longtime girlfriend, her two children and his five children.

A judge denied the motion in 2020, according to court records. An explanation was not provided in the order.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.