In a tragic incident that left three Minnesota first responders dead during a tense standoff, a 35-year-old Burnsville woman has been charged with illegally buying firearms for the shooter, Shannon Gooden. Federal authorities revealed that the woman conspired with Gooden between September 21 and January 25, enabling him to acquire a deadly arsenal of weapons.

U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger announced the charges at a press conference, stating that the woman faces one count of conspiracy and five counts of making false statements during the purchase of firearms. She is scheduled to make her first appearance in federal court in the afternoon.

The investigation, praised by local and federal authorities, highlighted the devastating loss of two officers, Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, aged 27, and firefighter-paramedic Adam Finseth, aged 40. Thousands of law enforcement officers, firefighters, and paramedics attended the memorial service for the fallen heroes two weeks ago.

According to investigators, Gooden, 38, opened fire without warning after lengthy negotiations with authorities. He later took his own life. Sergeant Adam Medlicott, 38, managed to survive being shot while attending to the wounded.

Court records revealed that Gooden was legally prohibited from possessing firearms due to his criminal record and was involved in a prolonged dispute over his three oldest children. Inside the home where the standoff took place, there were seven children ranging in age from 2 to 15 years old.

The tragic events unfolded in the early morning hours when police were dispatched to the home. Gooden refused to leave and claimed to be unarmed but mentioned the presence of children. After negotiating with him for over three hours to convince him to surrender, Gooden unexpectedly opened fire on the officers at around 5:30 a.m.

Elmstrand, Ruge, and Medlicott were believed to have been shot first inside the house. Medlicott and another officer returned fire, injuring Gooden in the leg. As officers made their way to an armored vehicle in the driveway, Ruge and Medlicott were shot again. Finseth, a member of the SWAT team, was killed while attempting to aid the injured officers. All three officers were pronounced dead at a hospital.

The Bureau confirmed that Gooden had possessed "several firearms" and had fired over 100 rounds before taking his own life. While the initial 911 call mentioned a "sexual assault allegation," further details were not provided.

John McConkey, a local gun store owner, disclosed that one of the firearms found at the scene was traced back to his store. The firearm had been legally purchased by an individual who passed the background check and took possession of it on January 5. Authorities informed McConkey that the purchaser was being investigated for committing a felony straw purchase, and it was clarified that Gooden was not present during the transaction.

Noemi Torres, Gooden's ex-girlfriend, recently testified before a federal grand jury investigating the case. She revealed that she was asked about her relationship with Gooden and whether he had coerced her into buying a gun. Torres emphasized that she was too scared for her life due to their history of domestic abuse and would never have taken such action.

As this tragic incident continues to be investigated, it serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by first responders and the imperative need to address gun control measures to prevent illegal firearm transactions.

(Note: The article has been written based on the information provided by the user and does not include any additional details.