Prosecutors seek 41-month sentence for woman for her role in fatal shooting of 3 Burnsville first responders
By Nick Lentz, WCCO Staff, Jennifer Mayerle
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MINNESOTA (WCCO) — Federal prosecutors are seeking a 41-month sentence for the woman who pleaded guilty to illegally buying weapons for her children’s father, who then used them in the killing of three Burnsville, Minnesota, first responders in 2024, according to court records filed Wednesday.
Ashley Dyrdahl pleaded guilty in January to two counts of straw purchasing in the fatal shooting of Burnsville police officers Matthew Ruge and Paul Elmstrand, and firefighter and paramedic Adam Finseth. According to the plea agreement, four other counts of straw purchasing and five counts of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm were dropped.
Court records said 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.
On Feb. 18, 2024, police were called to Gooden’s residence on a report of a sexual assault, which led to an hourslong standoff where he fired over 100 rounds at first responders.
Ruge, Elmstrand and Finseth were fatally wounded in the shooting. Sgt. Adam Medlicott was injured but survived.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said Gooden then fatally shot himself in front of his two children.
Dyrdahl initially pleaded not guilty to all 11 charges in November 2024. She’s scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 10.
“The sentence in this case must serve as a deterrent against the escalating armament of prohibited violent convicted felons,” U.S. attorneys said in the court document filed Wednesday.
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