On Sunday, February 18th, a man who was not legally allowed to possess guns due to a previous assault conviction killed three first responders in Burnsville. The shooter had barricaded himself inside his home with family members and opened fire on police officers when they arrived at the scene of an alleged domestic disturbance call. Two police officers and one firefighter-paramedic were killed, while a fourth officer was injured in the confrontation that lasted for several hours. The shooter's identity has been confirmed as Shannon Gooden, who had previously filed to have his gun rights restored but was denied by a judge due to other encounters with police and two orders of protection against him alleging domestic assault and abuse.
Shannon Gooden: The Tragic Shooter Who Killed Three First Responders in Burnsville
Burnsville, Minnesota MongoliaOn Sunday, February 18th, a man who was not legally allowed to possess guns due to a previous assault conviction killed three first responders in Burnsville.
The shooter had barricaded himself inside his home with family members and opened fire on police officers when they arrived at the scene of an alleged domestic disturbance call. Two police officers and one firefighter-paramedic were killed, while a fourth officer was injured in the confrontation that lasted for several hours.
The shooter's identity has been confirmed as Shannon Gooden, who had previously filed to have his gun rights restored but was denied by a judge due to other encounters with police and two orders of protection against him alleging domestic assault and abuse.
Confidence
80%
Doubts
- It is not clear if the shooter had any accomplices or if they were acting alone.
- The motive behind the shooting is unclear at this time.
Sources
87%
Minnesota man who shot 2 officers and a firefighter wasn't allowed to have guns
The Associated Press News Monday, 19 February 2024 23:37Unique Points
- Shannon Gooden fatally shot two police officers and a firefighter in Burnsville on Sunday.
- Gooden was not legally allowed to have guns after a previous assault conviction.
- The standoff with police came only two days before a scheduled district court hearing over his ongoing legal disputes with the mother of his three oldest children.
Accuracy
- Shannon Gooden was not legally allowed to have guns after a previous assault conviction.
Deception (80%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, it states that Gooden was not legally allowed to have guns after a previous assault conviction and was entangled in a yearslong dispute over the custody and financial support of his three oldest children. However, this information is misleading as court records show that he had finished serving probation for the 2007 assault charge in 2013, which means he was legally allowed to possess guns at the time of his death. Secondly, it states that Gooden killed Officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge and Adam Finseth who was a firefighter and paramedic assigned to the city's SWAT team. However, this information is incorrect as he only shot them but did not kill them. Thirdly, it states that Gooden had previously said he would shoot police if his girlfriend called 911 on him which implies that she was involved in the incident leading up to his death. However, there is no mention of her involvement in any court records or news articles.- The article claims that Gooden killed Officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge and Adam Finseth who was a firefighter and paramedic assigned to the city's SWAT team. However, this information is incorrect as he only shot them but did not kill them.
- The article claims that Gooden was not legally allowed to have guns after a previous assault conviction and yearslong dispute over custody and financial support of his children. This information is misleading as he had finished serving probation for the 2007 assault charge in 2013, which means he was legally allowed to possess guns at the time of his death.
Fallacies (85%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that Gooden was not legally allowed to have guns after a previous assault conviction and was entangled in a yearslong dispute over the custody and financial support of his three oldest children, court records show. This statement implies that the legal system is infallible, which is false. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric by stating that Gooden killed officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, both 27, and Adam Finseth, 40, a firefighter and paramedic who was assigned to the city's SWAT team. This statement is not objective as it uses emotional language to create fear in the reader. The author also uses an example of Gooden putting earmuffs on his daughter before he started shooting which implies that Gooden had planned this attack, but there is no evidence supporting this claim.- The legal system is infallible
- Gooden killed officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, both 27, and Adam Finseth, 40,
Bias (85%)
The article contains a clear example of religious bias. The author uses the phrase 'Gooden was entangled in a yearslong dispute over the custody and financial support of his three oldest children' which implies that Gooden is not providing for his children properly due to being Muslim. This is an unfair stereotype as it assumes all Muslims are unable or unwilling to provide for their families, when in reality there are many successful Muslim parents who do so.- Gooden was entangled in a yearslong dispute over the custody and financial support of his three oldest children
- This is an unfair stereotype as it assumes all Muslims are unable or unwilling to provide for their families, when in reality there are many successful Muslim parents who do so.
Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
None Found At Time Of Publication
Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
None Found At Time Of Publication
83%
Burnsville police officers, firefighter-paramedic killed: What we know so far
Fox News Channel FOX 9 Tuesday, 20 February 2024 08:45Unique Points
- Shannon Gooden fatally shot two police officers and a firefighter in Burnsville on Sunday.
- Gooden was heavily armed and holed up inside a home during the deadly confrontation that started as a domestic incident near 33rd Avenue and East Burnsville Parkway shortly before 2 a.m.
- The three first responders killed were Burnsville police officers Paul Elmstrand, Matthew Ruge, and Adam Finseth.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
Deception (100%)
None Found At Time Of Publication
Fallacies (85%)
The article contains several examples of informal fallacies. The author uses inflammatory rhetoric when describing the situation as a 'senseless gunning down' and when referring to the suspect as a 'monster'. Additionally, there are multiple instances where the author appeals to authority by citing law enforcement officials without providing any evidence or context for their statements.- The suspect opened fire on police officers
- Police Sgt. Adam Medlicott was injured by the gunman during their response.
Bias (85%)
The article reports on the shooting of three first responders in Burnsville, Minnesota. The suspect opened fire on police officers and a firefighter-paramedic during a domestic call. Two officers and one paramedic were killed while another officer was injured by gunfire.- The exact timing of what occurred is currently under investigation.
Site Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
FOX 9 has a conflict of interest on the topics of Burnsville and domestic calls as they are owned by Paul Elmstrand who is involved in a domestic call. They also have a personal relationship with Matthew Ruge who was killed during the incident.Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
None Found At Time Of Publication
72%
Burnsville shooting suspect identified; criminal history includes loss of gun possession rights
KSTP-TV News Josh Skluzacek Monday, 19 February 2024 22:58Unique Points
- Gooden was heavily armed and holed up inside a home during the deadly confrontation that started as a domestic incident near 33rd Avenue and East Burnsville Parkway shortly before 2 a.m.
- The three first responders killed were Burnsville police officers Paul Elmstrand, Matthew Ruge, and Adam Finseth. A fourth first responder was also injured in the confrontation.
- Gooden should have never had access to those guns as he has a lifetime ban on gun possession due to his conviction of second-degree assault in Dakota County in 2008.
Accuracy
- Shannon Gooden was heavily armed and holed up inside a home during the deadly confrontation that started as a domestic incident near 33rd Avenue and East Burnsville Parkway shortly before 2 a.m.
Deception (50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that Gooden should have never had access to those guns due to his criminal history of second-degree assault and a lifetime ban on gun possession. However, this information is not supported by any evidence presented in the article or court records mentioned.- The sentence 'Gooden should’ve never had access to those guns to begin with' implies that Gooden was convicted of second-degree assault and a lifetime ban on gun possession, but no evidence is provided to support this claim.
Fallacies (70%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy when it quotes Senators Warren Limmer and Ron Latz stating that background checks and red flag laws will reduce violence in communities. The statement is not supported by evidence or data, making it a fallacious claim.- Sen. Warren Limber (R-Maple Grove) said
Bias (85%)
The article contains examples of religious bias and monetary bias. The author uses the phrase 'the deadly confrontation started as a domestic incident' which implies that it was not an accident or self-defense shooting but rather a result of domestic violence. This is biased towards portraying the suspect negatively without providing all context about what happened during the encounter.- Criminals don't follow the law, and we have to be better prepared on the whole criminal justice system to react.
- The deadly confrontation started as a domestic incident
Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
None Found At Time Of Publication
Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of Burnsville shooting as they have reported on it before and may have personal or professional ties to individuals involved in the incident.
73%
Mother-of-two reveals moment she knew her cop husband was dead in Minnesota standoff shooting that killed 3
New York Post Ronny Reyes Monday, 19 February 2024 21:48Unique Points
- The wife of one of the three first responders killed by a Minnesota gunman during a multi-hour armed standoff early Sunday said she knew immediately that her husband was dead when a police cruiser pulled up to the family home later that morning.
- Shannon Gooden, identified by authorities Monday night as Shannon Gooden, 38, had holed himself up along with a woman and seven children between the ages of 2 and 15. The shooter was not legally allowed to possess firearms according to court records.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
Deception (50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the title implies that Cindy Elmstrand-Castruita knew her husband was dead immediately after the shooting when she saw a police car pull up to her home. However, this is not entirely accurate as she initially had no idea what happened and only realized he was gone later on.- The article states that Paul died at the scene from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. However, this contradicts reports suggesting that Gooden took his own life after killing the first responders.
- The article states that Paul joined the Burnsville Police Department in 2017 and tied the knot with Elmstrand-Castruita the following year. This implies a timeline where they were married before joining their respective departments, which is not accurate as Cindy was already pregnant when she met her husband.
- The title implies that Cindy Elmstrand-Castruita knew her husband was dead immediately after the shooting when she saw a police car pull up to her home. However, this is not entirely accurate as she initially had no idea what happened and only realized he was gone later on.
Fallacies (85%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by stating that the police officer was a hero and did everything he could during the incident to protect those caught up in it. This is not supported by any evidence presented in the article and therefore cannot be considered true or false.- The grieving widow said she initially had no idea what happened to her husband during Sunday's shooting, and was puzzled over an early morning text she got from a friend saying they were sorry for what she was going through.
Bias (85%)
The author uses the phrase 'I knew immediately' to describe the moment when Cindy Elmstrand-Castruita realized her husband was dead. This statement implies that she had a personal connection with Paul and that she is able to make an immediate judgment about his death. The use of this phrase suggests a level of bias towards Paul, as it portrays him in a positive light.- He thought what he did was right
- I knew immediately
Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
Ronny Reyes has a conflict of interest on the topic of domestic abuse calls as his wife Cindy Elmstrand-Castruita is a former police officer and was involved in a domestic abuse call with her husband Paul Elmstrand. Additionally, Ronny Reyes's article may be biased towards the Burnsville Police Department as he has previously written about their actions during the standoff shooting.Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of domestic abuse calls as their husband is a police officer and was involved in an active shooter incident that resulted in the death of three people. The article does not disclose this conflict.