Girlfriend indicted for buying guns for convicted felon... who used them to murder three first responders

BURNSVILLE, MN - The alleged girlfriend of the man who went on a shooting spree, killing three Minnesota first responders during a standoff at a home with seven children inside at the time, has been indicted. 

According to ABC News, on Thursday, March 14th, federal authorities held a news conference detailing how 35-year-old Ashley Anne Dyrdahl conspired with 38-year-old Shannon Gooden by illegally supplying him with guns even though she knew that as a convicted felon, he could not legally possess firearms. 

The indictment states that the guns purchased by Dyrdahl included three AR-style semiautomatic rifles, including one with a device that doubles the rate of gunfire and two semiautomatic pistols. Investigators also reportedly found "a stockpile of fully loaded magazines as well as boxes with hundreds of additional rounds of ammunition" in the bedroom Dyrdahl and Gooden shared.

At the news conference, U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger said that Dyrdahl's "illegal buying spree for Gooden demonstrates a reprehensible disregard for public safety and the law, and the consequences of this disregard for public safety are beyond comprehension."

On February 18th, police officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, both 27-years-old, and firefighter-paramedic Adam Finseth, 40, were fatally shot during a standoff in Burnsville, a suburb of Minneapolis. Sgt. Adam Medlicott, 38, survived being shot while tending to the wounded first responders.

According to investigators, while barricaded in the home, Gooden opened fire without warning after several hours of negotiations and then later killed himself. Luger said that Drydahl bought five weapons from two licensed dealers, including the weapons that killed the first responders. 

The indictment against Drydahl alleges that she repeatedly visited gun stores at Gooden's direction and bought or picked up the specific guns he wanted and ended up using in the shootings. This was done between September 2023 and January 2024. The indictment also states that she signed forms that falsely attested that she was not planning to transfer the guns to a convicted felon.

Court records show that Gooden is not legally allowed to own a gun because of his 2007 felony assault conviction and that he had been entangled in a years long dispute over his three oldest children. Drydahl allegedly texted Gooden about the illegal purchases saying, "We just gotta make sure we're smart about all this ya know?"

In a second text message exchange back in September 2023, she asked him "how he liked" the new Glock 47 9mm semiautomatic pistol she had just purchased for him. Luger said, "He responded by sending her a video in which he loaded the Glock 47 with an extended magazine. She responded with a smiling heart emoji."

According to Fox 9, the indictment also stated that Gooden went to the shooting range on February 10th, just over a week before the fatal shootings. The text exchange allegedly included the following:

Gooden: "I love my 300 blackout." Drydahl: "Haha good baby. That's your 300 blackout? Wow. [smiling heart emoji]." Gooden: "It's nasty bae." Drydahl: "Hell yeah." Gooden: "Thanks for making me so happy." Drydahl: "You're welcome baby thank you for making me so happy to [sic]."

Evidence presented to support the fact that Drydahl knew Gooden could not legally possess firearms included a letter she wrote on his behalf when he unsuccessfully petitioned a court to have his gun rights restored in 2020. She said that "family is everything to Gooden" and that he had hoped to "protect his home." 

Dakota County Attorney Kathryn Keena said that it was his children who needed to be protected. She said, "Ms. Dyrdahl is the reason why he had an arsenal of firearms in his possession that ultimately resulted in the murder of three of Dakota County's finest, and the injury of another, as they selflessly acted to protect those children."

Dyrdahl has been indicted on one count of conspiracy and five counts of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm. Luger said that the charges carry a maximum of 15 years in prison. 

At her first appearance in federal court on Thursday, March 14th, she pleaded not guilty. She remains free without bail and did not respond to reporters' questions as she left the courthouse.