Burnsville shooting: Who were the officers, first responder killed?

BURNSVILLE, Minn. — Officials in a city south of Minneapolis were mourning after two of its officers and a first responder died during an exchange of gunfire with a man who had barricaded himself in a residence.

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The shooting in Burnsville, Minnesota, claimed the lives of police officers Paul Elmstrand, 27, and Matthew Ruge, 27; and firefighter-paramedic Adam Finseth, 40, WCCO-TV reported. The gunman also died of an apparent self-inflicted wound, the Star Tribune of Minneapolis reported.

A woman and seven children were also in the residence, officials said.

Burnsville City Manager Gregg Lindberg called Sunday’s shooting “a difficult and emotional day.”

“Words can’t express how hard this day has been for us,” he said during a news conference Sunday evening.

Burnsville police Chief Tanya Schwartz was also emotional as she addressed reporters.

“This is a hard day,” she said. “We’re hurting.

“They made the ultimate sacrifice. They are heroes.”

Law enforcement officials and residents lined the streets as the bodies of the two police officers and the first responder were taken from the Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office in Minnetonka, KMSP-TV reported.

Here is what to know about the officers and the first responder who died.

Paul Elmstrand

Elmstrand, 27, joined the Burnsville Police Department as a community services officer in August 2017 and was promoted to officer in 2019, according to KARE-TV. He also worked in the department’s mobile command staff, peer team, Honor Guard and field training unit.

Before joining the department in 2017, Elmstrand participated in the Isanti County Law Enforcement Explorers Program, KARE reported. According to a news release, the program allowed teenagers to participate in law enforcement training, ride-alongs, community service and other law enforcement activities.

Matthew Ruge

Ruge joined the department in April of 2020. The 27-year-old was part of the Burnsville Police Department’s crisis negotiations team and was a physical evidence officer, city officials said.

Adam Finseth

Finseth, 40, joined the City of Burnsville as a firefighter and a SWAT paramedic in February 2019.

Police said the first responder was trying to help one of the wounded officers when he was shot, the Star Tribune of Minneapolis reported.

According to his LinkedIn page, Finseth previously served in the U.S. Army’s Bravo Company 1st Battalion 327th Infantry during Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Star Tribune reported.

Burnsville Fire Chief BJ Jungmann said during a news conference that Finseth was hired in Burnsville in 2019. He previously worked for departments in the cities of Savage and Hastings, the chief said.

Fourth officer injured

A fourth Burnsville police officer, Sgt. Adam Medlicott, was injured and taken to a hospital for injuries that were not considered to be life-threatening, city officials said. Medlicott, who has worked for the department for nine years, five months, was named the Burnsville Officer of the Year in 2020, KARE reported.

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