Having read the article in the Dallas news I would say the crew did an excellent job in a situation for which they had not been prepared.With hindsight the shoe should not have been taken into the flightdeck but I can understand the initial misconception that it was concealing weapons.
Well done to the whole crew.I hope my response would be as good and resourceful in similar circumstances.
It does seem rather unfortunate that American management tried to suppress much of the information.