BURNSVILLE, Minn. – Three first responders were tragically killed in Burnsville on Sunday after responding to a domestic abuse call that turned into a deadly armed confrontation.
The man shot and killed two Burnsville police officers and one firefighter paramedic, and the suspect was also found dead. Law enforcement responded to the scene where a man had barricaded himself inside a home with family members and exchanged gunfire with the responders.
The deceased responders were identified as Burnsville police officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, as well as paramedic Adam Finseth from the Burnsville Fire Department. Another officer, Sgt. Adam Medlicott, was injured but is expected to recover.
The suspect was reported dead around 8 a.m. and none of the other family members inside the home were harmed. The shooter had multiple firearms and “large amounts” of ammunition and shot from multiple positions throughout the home.
During a press conference, Burnsville City Manager Gregg Lindberg and Police Chief Tanya Schwartz paid tribute to the fallen responders, expressing their grief and the impact of the loss on the public safety community.
The fallen first responders were heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for the community. Elmstrand, 27, had joined the Burnsville Police Department in August 2017, Ruge, 27, joined the force in April 2020, and Finseth, 40, became a Burnsville firefighter and paramedic in Feb. 2019.
A vigil honoring the fallen first responders took place at Burnsville City Hall, with over 100 people coming to pay their respects. Elected officials and first responders poured out their condolences, and Gov. Tim Walz ordered flags to be flown at half-staff starting Monday at sunrise.
“This is a caring community and we’ve all suffered a loss, a loss of our family,” said a vigil-goer. “We’re gonna grow from this and take care of each other. I hope everyone who sees this, when they see a police officer [or firefighter or paramedic], they’re going to say, ‘Thank you for your service.’”
The incident is still under investigation, and the entire community is grappling with the tragic loss of the first responders.