Burnsville shooting: Shannon Gooden's girlfriend pleads guilty to straw purchasing firearms

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The girlfriend of Shannon Gooden, the man accused of shooting and killing three Burnsville first responders in February, entered a guilty plea on Tuesday for straw purchasing firearms. 

Shooting of Burnsville police officers 

The backstory:

Police were called to a home at 12605 33rd Ave. in Burnsville at around 1:50 a.m. on Feb. 18, 2024, on a report of a sexual assault allegation, at which point Gooden barricaded himself inside the home. 

He opened fire on police, killing Burnsville Police Officer Paul Elmstrand, Officer Matthew Ruge and Firefighter-Paramedic Adam Finseth before killing himself. Burnsville Police Sgt. Adam Medlicott was also injured in the shooting. 

Straw purchasing firearms 

What we know:

Ashley Anne Dyrdahl, Gooden’s girlfriend, was federally indicted in March 2024 on five counts of straw purchasing, one count of conspiracy, and five counts of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm. 

Authorities allege Dyrdahl bought several firearms for Gooden, including the two AR-15s that were used in the fatal shooting. 

What's new:

Dyrdahl appeared in court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to two counts of straw purchasing, specifically for the Franklin Armory FAI-15 firearm and the Palmetto State Armory PA-15 firearm. 

Her sentencing will be scheduled for a later date. 

Dig deeper:

According to the Department of Justice, Gooden would text Dyrdahl what type of firearms he wanted and she would purchase them. 

Authorities allege Dyrdahl purchased five firearms between September 2023 and January 2024, including:

• Glock 47 9mm semiautomatic pistol purchased on Sept. 21, 2023
• Palmetto State Armory model Sabre-15 firearm lower receiver purchased on Oct. 18, 2023
• Glock 43X 9mm semiautomatic pistol purchased on Oct. 30, 2023
• Franklin Armory FAI-15 firearm lower receiver purchased on Jan. 5, 2024 (used during the Feb. 18 shooting)
• Palmetto State Armory PA-15 firearm lower receiver purchased on Jan. 25, 2024 (used during the Feb. 18 shooting)

While purchasing the firearms, the DOJ said Dyrdahl put on the forms that she was the buyer, and did not indicate she was planning to transfer the firearms to a felon.  

Gooden was ineligible to purchase a firearm due to a 2008 conviction of second-degree assault. He filed a petition to get his firearm rights restored in 2020, and Dyrdahl filed a letter of support, but it was denied. 

What they're saying:

"I believe our partners would be alive today if this woman would not have bought these guns and given them to the murderer who shot our partners on February 18th," Burnsville Fire Chief BJ Jungmann previously stated about Dyrdahl’s charges.