Kare11
Burnsville shooting suspect identified by sources
In 2020, Shannon Gooden petitioned to have his firearm rights restored but was denied by a judge.
BURNSVILLE, Minn. — Multiple law enforcement sources, as well as next-door neighbors, have confirmed to KARE 11 News the identity of the man who killed two police officers and an EMT before killing himself as Shannon Cortez Gooden.
The medical examiner’s office will confirm the identity, however, KARE 11’s sources and court documents also link Gooden to the address in Sunday’s shooting.
The 38-year-old was prohibited from possessing firearms as the result of a 2008 2nd-degree felony assault with a deadly weapon conviction, according to court documents.
Eleven years later, in 2019, Gooden petitioned the court to restore his firearm rights. Gooden wrote in an affidavit, “I would like to be able to protect not only myself but my family as well. I completed an anger management course as well as a parenting course.”
Gooden noted that he had five children, ranging in age from 11 months to 11 years old when he signed the sworn statement in December 2019, as well as noting that he provided for his girlfriend’s two kids who were 8 and 10 at that time.
“I have undergone tremendous personal and professional growth since my conviction,” Gooden wrote. “I greatly regret and have learned from the poor decisions of my past. I would like to have a second chance to prove myself as a productive member of society.”
First District Court Judge Dannia Edwards denied the request in October 2020, according to court records.
On at 2 a.m. on Feb. 18, 2024, Gooden opened fire on first responders from a second-floor window of the house he rented on 33rd Avenue South in Burnsville, according to KARE 11 News sources. Police were responding to a call of a domestic situation involving a man who barricaded himself with his family inside the house. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said seven children ages 2-15 were inside the home.
Burnsville police officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, along with firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth were killed. Sgt. Adam Medlicott was injured and taken to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, according to Burnsville officials.
Court records show Gooden had two order for protection petitions filed against him, one alleging domestic abuse and the other alleging domestic assault.
In 2017, the mother of at least one of Gooden’s children alleged that Gooden head-butted her face — causing a concussion and black eye — and threw her down the stairs. The court dismissed the court action because the woman failed to appear in court.
In 2020, the mother of at least three of Gooden’s children alleged that Gooden cut her clothes with a knife, causing her to fall down the stairs. She also said Gooden would pull her hair, throw her against the wall, and would let his family members assault her. The woman claimed she believed Gooden was going to kill her, but the court dismissed the court action because the allegations were not proved.
The Dakota County Attorney’s Office noted the domestic incidents while arguing that Gooden should not have his firearm rights restored, In addition, the prosecutor noted other incidents in Gooden’s criminal history:
- 2004 conviction for disorderly conduct
- 2005 conviction for disorderly conduct in which he hit the phone out of the hand of a woman calling police on him
- The underlying 2008 conviction in which Gooden pulled out a 7-inch knife during a fight at a shopping center then threw rocks at a woman’s car
“Petitioner’s history of disobeying the law and posing a threat to public safety coupled with an insignificant passage of time demonstrates that, at this time, Petitioner has not demonstrated he can safely possess firearms,” Assistant Dakota County Attorney Amelia Jadoo wrote.
For several years, Gooden was employed at LaMettry Collision in Lakeville, according to public records.
More coverage of the Burnsville shootings on YouTube:
104 people have been rescued from Havasupai Falls, according to the Arizona National Guard.
COCONINO COUNTY, Ariz. — The Arizona National Guard was able to help rescue more than 100 people after severe flooding destroyed parts of Havasupai Creek.
Rescue teams in the Grand Canyon National Park continue searching for a Gilbert woman who was swept away in a powerful flash flood Thursday while hiking in Havasu Canyon.
Chenoa Nickerson and her husband were half a mile above the Colorado River confluence when they were swept away by the fast-moving flood waters, according to the National Park Service. Nickerson’s husband was rescued by a group of rafters but was unable to find his 33-year-old wife.
“We love her and we won’t give up until we find her,” Nickerson’s brother Janosh Wolters told 12News.
On Saturday, the Grand Canyon National Park said they are still searching for Nickerson.
She is described as 5’8″, 190 lbs. with brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a black tank top, black shorts and blue hiking boots.
If you have seen her, you are asked to call the NPS ISB Tip Line at (888) 653-0009.
Maj Erin Hannigan, communications director for the Arizona National Guard, said the evacuations started on Friday evening after the Governor called on them to help and continued until Saturday afternoon at 1:30pm.
Hannigan said tourists who were evacuated were taken to a landing zone near their vehicle allowing them to reunite with their cars and return home.
“They cheered after the safety brief,” Hannigan said. “They cheered when they got into the aircraft, and then they cheered when they got out.”
Hannigan said one of the crew chiefs was on paternity leave when he got the call for rescue efforts.
“He didn’t skip a beat,” Hannigan said. “He showed up and got on the aircraft to support the mission.”
On Saturday, crews searched the areas near Beaver Falls, the confluence of Havasu Creek and the Colorado River and the Colorado River by air, by ground and on the water for signs of Nickerson, but were not able to find her.
As of Saturday night, 104 people had been rescued from Havasupai Falls from Friday evening through Saturday afternoon, according to the Arizona National Guard.
Abbie Fink, spokesperson for the Havasupai Tribe, said the flooding caused extensive damage to the trail leading into Supai and much of the village including common and public areas.
“The campground suffered considerable damage. That’s where the vast majority of the water flow was,” Fink explained. “So it’s unsafe to be in there right now and travel.”
Fink said tribal members are still in Supai and are “safe either in their homes or in other buildings in the village.”
“Our tribal members have been accounted for, and now we are focusing on getting supplies into Supai for those that are still living there,” Fink said. “[We are] working with emergency systems across the state and federal to begin the assessment on The repair of all the damage that’s been done.”
Fink said the damages would still need to be evaluated moving forward.
“We have to ensure the safety of all of the, you know, the infrastructure, for the trails, for the buildings, everything that needs to be evaluated,” Fink said. “That’s going to take some time, and we want to make sure we take the right amount of time to make sure that we do it correctly.”
On Friday, 12News spoke with a camper who was stranded at the falls.
Latricia Mimbs was visiting Havasu Canyon from Mississippi. Her group heard thunder Thursday afternoon as they set up tents near the Havasupai campground, which Havasu Creek runs through.
“I have a friend who is a ranger and he warned us that it is Monsoon season, if we heard thunder to head to high ground,” Mimbs said. “We actually left the campsite, made it to the hilltop before the flood hit.”
The turquoise waterfalls people come to see quickly turned brown. The flash flood swept through the campground and Mimbs lost her tent and clothes, but not her life.
“I’m really proud of them for not panicking,” Mimbs said. “We all got out safely.”
Many hikers and campers had been unable to leave the area. Mimbs said portions of the 10-mile trail connecting the campground and the trailhead are now impassible. People were told it will take a helicopter to get them out.
The Havasupai tribe is providing stranded campers with food and water.
“There are 200 of us waiting to fly out,” Mimbs said Friday afternoon. “Five at a time.”
It is her fourth time to Havasu Canyon — only this time she saw firsthand how quickly this paradise can turn into a nightmare. Mimbs remains hopeful that Nickerson will be found safe.
“We’re praying for them,” Mimbs said.
Watch 12News+ for free
You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12News+ app!
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like “Today in AZ” and “12 News” and our daily lifestyle program, “Arizona Midday”—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.
Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives.
Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for “12 News KPNX.”
Amazon Fire TV: Search for “12 News KPNX” to find the free 12News+ app to add to your account, or have the 12News+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.
Ava Hunt, 19, is a legacy at The Hilltop. Her father, uncle and grandfather were all Mustangs — and plenty of her cousins, too.
DALLAS — Ava Hunt, the youngest daughter of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt, moved into her SMU dorm on Friday.
With that move came a touching social media post from her mother Tavia — and some viral media attention, too.
Earlier this year, the 19-year-old Ava announced she would be attending SMU to be part of the university’s cheer team. She’s a clear legacy on The Hilltop, too. Her father Clark attended SMU in the ’80s. Her uncle, FC Dallas owner Dan Hunt, graduated from the school in 2000. Her grandfather Lamar Hunt, who founded the Dallas Texans (now Kansas City Chiefs) and Dallas Burn (now FC Dallas) and coined the term “The Super Bowl”, played football for the Mustangs before graduating in 1956. Naturally, plenty of her cousins have attended SMU as well.
But it’s safe to say few members of her family have moved onto campus, as Ava did this past weekend, with as much hoopla as she received.
After Tavia posted to social media pictures of Ava’s dorm room — lavishly decorated in pink fabrics, custom bedding, vanity lighting and neon signs (bearing both Ava’s name and that of her roommate, also named Ava) — the set-up quickly went viral, earning attention from both Page Six and The Daily Mail.
This is not Ava’s first time in the spotlight in recent memory, either. Last December, she went viral for posing for a photo alongside Taylor Swift after giving the performer a surprise birthday gift during a Chiefs game. Then, just this month, she made headlines when she was rushed to the hospital and required surgery after suffering a deep wound while hiking.
While sharing photos of Ava’s dorm room to social media, Tavia also shared with the world a heartfelt message to her daughter.
“Today, I left a piece of my heart at SMU,” Tavia wrote, in part. ” I’m wading through emotions as I pass by your now too-clean room, the house is too quiet without your laughter … Watching you shine your light and grow into the most beautiful version of yourself makes my heart beat a little happier. You’ve worked so hard to get here. Everything that you do from here on out is for you—for your success, happiness, and God’s glory. Acts20:24 Stay safe. Get sleep. Have faith in yourself. And remember, Mom and Dad are ALWAYS here when you need us. I love you”
Ava responded to her mother’s touching tribute in the comments: “I’m not crying you are 😭”
First day of classes begin at SMU on Monday, Aug. 26.
“I tried to leave it all out there, and role model what it looks like to just grind every day, but do it with joy,” Moore said.
MINNEAPOLIS — There are many legends who have played inside Target Center, but only one mattered Saturday night.
“We won a championship every other year for eight years,” Thomas Maddux said. “That’s a dynasty.”
“Watching her highlights, she was good!” Ainslea Pint, who drove in with her family from Iowa, said.
Maya Moore, the four-time WNBA champion whose accolades are a mile long, officially had her number retired and hung in the rafters inside Target Center Saturday.
“Maya Moore has been amazing for the franchise, for basketball,” Maddux said.
Among those reminiscing on Moore’s career include Lynx Coach Cheryl Reeve, who coached Moore during all four of those WNBA titles.
“Reflecting on the establishing of who the Lynx became, it started with Maya Moore,” Reeve said.
Also thinking about that legacy — Indiana Fever rookie sensation Caitlin Clark.
“I remember that Lynx team probably better than anybody, like, as a young girl,” Clark, who grew up coming to Minneapolis for Lynx games, said.
“I’m excited to be here and get to be a part of this night, I would be a little bummed if we weren’t able to play on the night that this happened,” Clark said.
The two have met many times before, including at Clark’s first WNBA game as a kid.
“After the game I got to stay and listen to a Q&A. I didn’t have a sharpie and obviously I was at the age where I didn’t have a phone, and I kinda just ran away from my dad because I wanted to meet the players,” Clark said. “I just ran up to her and I just gave her a hug. There’s no documentation of that moment, but like obviously, in my brain, that was one of the most pivotal moments in, like, probably my entire basketball career, and probably as a young girl, loving sports, that meant the world to me.”
“I didn’t get an autograph, I didn’t get a picture, I got a hug, which is probably a lot better than both those,” she added.
Of course, Moore herself was in attendance to see her jersey retired. Ahead of the game against the Fever, Moore sat down with reporters to reflect on her career and journey that led to this moment.
“I think time will stand still a little bit,” Moore said pregame, laughing. “Probably being very overwhelmed with the very talented and quality people I got to do it with as it’s going next to the other great players I’ve gotten to play with.”
Moore was also asked what legacy means in a moment like this.
“I tried to leave it all out there, and role model what it looks like to just grind every day, but do it with joy,” Moore said. “So, you add that in to all the other greatness that we had around me and you get what we got.”
The Lynx beat the Fever 90-80.
