Sources say two police officers and a paramedic were shot and killed this morning after a standoff suspect opened fire on officers inside a home around 5:30 a.m.

Scanner audio indicates the standoff began around 2:30 a.m. at the residence located on the 12600 block of 33rd Avenue in Burnsville.

Officers were originally called for a domestic situation and the suspect reportedly had a warrant for second-degree criminal sexual conduct. Officers attempted negotiations but the suspect was refusing to release seven children from the home and had access to multiple firearms.

Officers made entry into the home where they encountered the suspect in a hallway armed with a rifle, according to initial information. The suspect opened fire, striking multiple officers. Sources say at least two officers and a paramedic were killed in the ambush.

The suspect was found down inside the home, deceased with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

A large law enforcement presence remained at the scene Sunday.

The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association released this statement on the incident:

Two officers with the Burnsville Police Department and one first responder were shot and killed early Sunday morning while responding to a domestic abuse call for assistance.
Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association Executive Director Brian Peters said, “We are heartbroken. Our law enforcement community is heartbroken. We’re just devastated at the horrific loss. These heroes leave behind loved ones and a community who will forever remember their bravery and dedication to keeping Minnesotans safe.”
Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS) Executive Director Jim Mortenson said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the officers and first responder who responded to a domestic call this morning. These officers were struck down while answering the call of duty to serve and protect. We mourn alongside the Burnsville community and the families of those killed.” LELS represents the rank-and-file officers and the supervisors of the Burnsville Police Department.

UPDATE: The Burnsville police officers have been identified as Paul Elmstrand, 27, and Matthew Ruge, 27. The fire medic has been identified as Adam Finseth, 40. Elmstrand joined the Burnsville Police Department in August 2017. Ruge joined the BPD in April 2020. Finseth had been a Burnsville Firefighter/Paramedic since February 2019.

According to multiple sources, the suspect who opened fire was identified as Shannon C. Gooden, 38. Gooden pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon in 2007 and petitioned the court in 2020 to have his gun rights restored, which was denied by a judge.

“Our folks come to work every day and are willing to give the ultimate sacrifice of their life, but no one expects it to happen. It’s a tragic day. We are all grieving, and we are all trying to understand what happened and why,” Burnsville Fire Chief BJ Jungmann said in a statement.

“We go to work every day knowing that it’s a possibility we’ll lose our life to protect yours. And we still show up. It’s something you won’t understand unless you do it,” Burnsville Police Chief Tanya Schwartz said.

UPDATE MONDAY, FEB. 19:

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner has released the cause of death for the three first responders killed during a standoff Sunday in Burnsville:

Officer Paul H. Elmstrand, 27, of Chaska, died of multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced deceased at 6:39 a.m.
Fire/medic Adam L. Finseth, 40, of Savage, died of a gunshot wound to the right arm and torso and was pronounced deceased at 6:46 a.m.
Officer Matthew H. Ruge, 27, of Northfield, died of a gunshot wound to the chest and was pronounced deceased at 6:33 a.m.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner has confirmed that Shannon C. Gooden, 38, died by suicide of a gunshot to the head Sunday morning.

UPDATE WEDNESDAY, FEB. 21:

A joint, public memorial service for the three first responders is set for Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 11 a.m. at Grace Church, 9301 Eden Prairie Rd. in Eden Prairie. Further details about the service are being released early next week.

UPDATE THURSDAY, FEB. 22:

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) continues to actively investigate the Feb. 18 incident in Burnsville during which two police officers and a firefighter/paramedic were killed. According to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner, officers Matthew Ruge and Paul Elmstrand and firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth died of gunshot wounds. They were shot by Shannon Gooden, 38, of Burnsville, who the medical examiner determined died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The BCA has identified three Burnsville police officers who discharged their firearms during this incident.

Adam Medlicott fired his department handgun. He has 14 years of law enforcement experience.
Officer Javier Jimenez fired his department rifle. He has eight years of law enforcement experience.
Officer Daniel Wical fired his department rifle. He has eight years of law enforcement experience.

According to the preliminary investigation, officers responded to a home in Burnsville just before 2 a.m. after receiving reports of a domestic incident. When they arrived, they spoke with Gooden, who refused to leave the home but said he was unarmed and had children inside. The officers entered the home and negotiated with Gooden for about three and a half hours in an effort to get him to surrender peacefully. At about 5:26 a.m., Gooden opened fire on the officers inside the home without warning. Ruge, Elmstrand and Medlicott are believed to have been initially shot inside the home. Medlicott and Wical returned fire while inside the home, striking Gooden in the leg. Both Ruge and Medlicott were shot a second time as officers were moving from the home to an armored vehicle in the driveway. That’s when Finseth was shot while trying to aid the officers. Elmstrand, Ruge and Finseth were all later pronounced dead at Hennepin County Medical Center.

Gooden continued to fire shots out of the home at officers and the armored vehicle that had personnel inside. At one point, while Gooden was shooting out of an upstairs window, Jimenez returned fire with his sniper rifle. The standoff ended when Gooden took his own life. The SWAT team found his body when they cleared the house at 10:15 a.m.

BCA crime scene personnel recovered several firearms and a large amount of ammunition at the scene. They also recovered numerous cartridge casings. Gooden fired more than 100 rifle rounds at law enforcement and first responders during the incident. There is body camera and squad car camera video of the incident. BCA agents are reviewing all available video as part of the active investigation.

The Burnsville Police Department asked the BCA to investigate this incident in its entirety, including what led to the 911 call, the incident itself and the officers’ use-of-force. Once the investigation is complete, the BCA will present its findings without a charging recommendation to the Dakota County Attorney’s Office for review.

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