The girlfriend of Shannon Gooden has pleaded guilty in federal court to straw purchasing multiple firearms for Gooden, who was a felon, two of which were used to fatally shoot police officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, and firefighter paramedic Adam Finseth in Burnsville, Minn., on Feb. 18, 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger prior to his resignation on Wednesday.
Ashley Anne Dyrdahl, now 36, purchased five different firearms between September 2023 and January 2024 from two different federal firearms licensees that she knowingly transferred to her domestic partner, Gooden, according to court documents. Under Gooden’s direction, Dyrdahl purchased the firearms and transferred them to Gooden, despite knowing that Gooden was a felon and was therefore legally prohibited from obtaining or from possessing firearms.
Among the firearms Dyrdahl bought for Gooden were three semiautomatic AR-15–style firearm lower-receivers. One of these was a Franklin Armory FAI-15 .300 caliber semiautomatic firearm that was equipped with a binary trigger. A firearm with a binary trigger fires one shot when the trigger is pulled and another when the trigger is released, effectively doubling the rate of fire. Dyrdahl also purchased a .300 caliber barrel for the lower receiver. Dyrdahl knew that Gooden was loading the semiautomatic AR-15–style firearms with .300 Blackout ammunition, which is a heavier load ammunition that has an increased potential for lethality.
On Feb. 18, 2024, Gooden used two firearms that Dyrdahl purchased for him to ambush police officers and firefighter paramedics who were responding to a call for help in his home. Gooden used a large-capacity magazine in the attack and was estimated to have fired over 100 rounds. The attack killed two police officers and a firefighter paramedic and injured a third police officer. Gooden, who was 38, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following the killings, although several officers returned fire during the incident. There were also seven children in the home at the time; all were rescued unharmed.
Dyrdahl was originally charged with 11 felonies last March, but pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court to two counts of straw purchasing in front of U.S. District Judge Jerry W. Blackwell. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
Dyrdahl has remained out of custody since being charged and is not currently in custody. No current mugshot is available.
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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
Crime Watch MN
Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
