Burnsville shooting: Authorities investigate possible straw purchase of gun

Burnsville shooting: Straw purchase investigation

Authorities are investigating whether the gunman in last week's deadly shooting of three Burnsville first responders obtained his weapons through a straw purchase.

BURNSVILLE, Minn. (FOX 9) - An investigation is underway to determine whether the gunman who shot and killed three Burnsville first responders obtained one of his weapons through a straw purchase.

FOX 9 learned last week that the gunman, Shannon Gooden, was not legally permitted to own a weapon after a previous assault conviction. Since the shooting, investigators have been working to determine how Gooden was able to get his hands on multiple weapons.

The owner of Modern Sportsman tells FOX 9 that investigators have traced one of the firearms recovered on Feb. 18 back to his Burnsville shop. Modern Sportsman says they are working with authorities and the person who took possession of the firearm is being investigated for making an illegal straw purchase – meaning someone buying the gun as a proxy.

The owner says that a lower receiver for an AR-15 was purchased from an online retailer and shipped to the Burnsville shop for transfer. He adds the purchaser passed a background check and Modern Sportsman could not have known the gun would ultimately end up in the hands of a convicted felon.

"Given the nature of the case and the circumstances and the severity of the case, they are going to want to make sure that they have done everything right with the investigation," explained former U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald. "There is no need to rush. You want to get all your records in place. You want to get the witnesses locked in, and grand jury, you want to use all the processes as you can before charges will be brought. That being said, it is not a complicated case once you have those records. And so, we shall see when and if charges are brought and against whom? And we will see where they are brought. You know, it is not uncommon for the feds to work hand in glove with the state and make the appropriate determination as to the best jurisdiction where the case should be brought."

MacDonald says someone convicted of making a straw purchase faces serious prison time.

"If you are convicted of making a straw purchase, you face up to 15 years in prison with the exception that it could be up to 25 years in prison if it's purchased knowing that it was going to be used in a drug trafficking crime or a terrorist event of some sort or felony offense," she adds.

It's unclear if this specific weapon was one of the firearms used during the Feb. 18 shooting.