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Ashley Dyrdahl pleads guilty to illegally buying firearms for man who killed Burnsville first responders

Woman pleads guilty to buying firearms for man who killed Burnsville first responders
Woman pleads guilty to buying firearms for man who killed Burnsville first responders 02:20

MINNEAPOLIS — A Twin Cities woman has pleaded guilty to illegally buying weapons for her children's father, who went on to use them in the killing of three first responders last year.

Ashley Dyrdahl, 35, was charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office in November with 11 felonies, including five counts each of straw purchasing and making false statements during the purchase of a firearm.

Court records state Dyrdahl bought five firearms, including two AR-15-style assault rifles, for her on-again, off-again boyfriend Shannon Gooden between September 2023 and January 2024.

Gooden was barred from owning weapons due to a 2008 assault conviction in Dakota County. Court records show Dyrdahl also wrote a letter in 2020 in support of Gooden's failed attempt to restore his gun rights.  

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Ashley Dyrdahl John Autey/St. Paul Pioneer Press

On Feb. 18, 2024, police were called to Gooden's Burnsville residence on a report of a sexual assault, leading to an hourslong standoff where he fired more than 100 rounds at first responders — killing Burnsville police officers Matthew Ruge and Paul Elmstrand, and firefighter paramedic Adam Finseth. Sgt. Adam Medlicott was also wounded but survived.

Gooden then fatally shot himself in front of two of his children, according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

Dyrdahl originally pleaded not guilty but changed her plea during a hearing on Tuesday, where she accepted a deal that will drop all but two charges at sentencing.

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Shannon Gooden Facebook

Dyrdahl also faces thousands of dollars in fines and will be a part of a public service announcement about straw purchasing.

During Tuesday's hearing inside a federal courtroom in Minneapolis, Dyrdahl's attorney expressed her client's deep remorse and said she hopes taking accountability will bring some relief to everyone impacted by the deadly standoff.

The widows, family members and fellow officers and firefighters were also in the courtroom, including Medlicott.

Burnsville's police and fire chiefs say the prosecution brought the families the agreement.

"They're working within the guidelines and those might not always feel like the right guidelines for us, especially losing our partners," said Burnsville Police Chief Tanya Schwartz. "We're all here to support, our fallen families are the people we're here for."  

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Left to right: Burnsville police officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, and firefighter paramedic Adam Finseth. City of Burnsville

"It provided a step forward," said Burnsville Fire Chief Chief BJ Jungmann. "We know the next steps in the process. I mean, healing is going to take a long time."

These leaders want accountability for all who continue to grieve the deep loss of Ruge, Elmstrand and Finseth.

"We have three of our public safety friends, family that were killed in the line of duty because of [Dyrdahl's] actions, so she's accountable to this," Schwartz said. "So we do want accountability, we want responsibility, which is where we hope she's at with this right now. And we want justice as well."

Dyrdahl could serve up to three years in prison in addition to supervised release, but the judge will ultimately determine her sentence at a hearing yet to be scheduled. Loved ones of the fallen also plan to speak at that hearing.

This case led to a new Minnesota law that makes straw purchasing a felony offense. It was previously a gross misdemeanor. 

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