Burnsville shooting: Search warrant reveals more details about fatal incident

BURNSVILLE, Minn. (FOX 9) - A search warrant made public on Wednesday sheds some light on the shooting at a Burnsville home that left two police officers and a firefighter-paramedic dead.

On Feb. 18, officers were responding to a domestic situation when the situation escalated, with the suspect – later identified as Shannon Gooden – opening fire, killing Burnsville Police Officer Paul Elmstrand, Officer Matthew Ruge and Firefighter-Paramedic Adam Finseth. Burnsville Police Sgt. Adam Medlicott was also injured in the shooting. 

The search warrant filed in Ramsey County reveals why police were called to the home, as well as some other details. According to the document, police responded to 12605 33rd Ave. at 1:50 a.m. on Feb. 18, on a report of a sexual assault allegation. Police "contacted" the person who reported the allegation and Gooden, when Gooden "retreated into a bedroom and barricaded himself."

"Officers negotiated for Gooden to surrender, but he did not cooperate," the warrant states.

"Sometime later, Gooden opened fire at officers with what is believed to be multiple different firearms," killing Elmstrand, Ruge and Finseth. Police returned fire at Gooden, who retreated into a bedroom. 

Special Weapons and Tactics Officers then responded to the scene, and used a drone to locate Gooden dead in the bedroom. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner has since said Gooden died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. 

READ MORE: Burnsville police officers, firefighter-paramedic killed

There were seven children in the home at the time of the shooting, but they were not hurt. The biological mother of three of the children was Gooden's ex-girlfriend, identified as Noemi Torres. 

Torres admitted to investigators that either during or after the shooting, she was in communication with Gooden's girlfriend at the time of the shooting. Gooden's girlfriend told Torres about the incident via text message, the warrant says.

Investigators booked Torres' cell phone into evidence. The goal of taking the phone into evidence is to see communication between Gooden and Torres, with the search warrant stating it could contain information to help investigators understand Gooden's mindset.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.