Minnesota prosecutor provides most detailed account yet of shooting deaths of 3 first responders

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Police investigating a potential sexual abuse case in a Minneapolis suburb found themselves in a gunbattle against a well-armed resident in a darkened home while trying to protect seven children inside, a prosecutor said Tuesday in a report on the shootings that left two officers and a paramedic dead.

Dakota County Attorney Kathryn Keena made the revelation in a memo, based on an investigation by the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, in which she concluded that the Burnsville officers who went to the home of Shannon Gooden on Feb. 18 were justified in using deadly force after he opened fire. While Gooden was struck in the leg by one officer’s bullet, he died by suicide a few hours later. Seven children ages 5 to 15 were inside.

Keena’s memo provided the most detailed explanation authorities have released so far about the confrontation. She wrote that Gooden’s girlfriend, Ashley Dyrdahl, called 911 around 1:50 a.m. and screamed, “Help me!” before Gooden disconnected the call. The county attorney also detailed the hours of negotiations that ended in the gunfire that mortally wounded Burnsville Police Officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge and firefighter-paramedic Adam Finseth, and left Sgt. Adam Medlicott injured. Medlicott survived to speak at the memorial service for his three fallen comrades.

The county prosecutor concluded that actions by Medlicott and two other officers was warranted to protect their own lives, the lives of their fellow other officers and members of the public.

<bsp-list-loadmore data-module="" class=«PageListStandardB» data-gtm-region=«RELATED COVERAGE» data-gtm-topic=«No Value» data-show-loadmore=«true» data-gtm-modulestyle=«List B»> <bsp-custom-headline