Guilty plea for women who bought guns used in Burnsville shooting of first responders

Emily Baude KSTP

The woman who purchased the guns used to kill two Burnsville officers and a firefighter/paramedic last year has pleaded guilty in connection with the charges she was indicted on.

Ashley Anne Dyrdahl pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday to two counts of straw purchasing guns.

In March of last year, Dyrdahl was federally indicted on five charges of straw purchasing, five counts of making false statements during a gun purchase and one count of conspiracy.

While Dyrdahl initially pleaded not guilty, she changed her plea to guilty in exchange for the dismissal of the other charges and a recommendation of 30 to 37 months in prison. A future hearing will determine Dyrdahl’s exact sentence.

The guns Dyrdahl purchased were used by 38-year-old Shannon Gooden to kill officers Matthew Ruge and Paul Elmstrand, firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth and hurt Sgt. Adam Medlicott.

Among the guns Dyrdahl bought and gave to Gooden, who was banned from owning a weapon due to a past felony conviction, were three semiautomatic AR-15-style gun lower-receivers, including one with a binary trigger and a heavier load of ammunition for increased damage.