2 police officers, paramedic die in Burnsville, Minnesota, shooting: Live updates
Two police officers and a paramedic were killed early Sunday while responding to a domestic abuse complaint in Burnsville, a Minneapolis suburb, authorities said. The gunman also died.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz stated that the victims were responding to a call about a “family in danger.” At around 1:50 a.m., police were dispatched to a property on a complaint of a domestic incident in which a man was allegedly armed and barricaded with family members.
Seven children, ranging in age from two to fifteen, were at the residence when officers arrived, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said at a press conference Sunday afternoon.
Responding cops spent “quite a bit of time” communicating with the man before he opened fire, Evans said.
Officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, together with firefighter-paramedic Adam Finseth, were slain, according to a city statement. Another cop, Sgt. Adam Medlicott, was hurt and taken to the hospital with what are considered to be non-life-threatening injuries.
Finseth, a member of a SWAT team who had been dispatched to the area, was shot while assisting an injured cop, according to officials.
Police stormed the snowy, tree-covered neighborhood, and “at approximately 8 a.m., the suspect was reported to be dead,” according to a city statement. There was no immediate information provided about the probable motivation or how the suspect died.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was investigating the incident, and further information will be published once the preliminary investigation is completed.
Brian Peters, executive director of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, described the law enforcement community as “heartbroken.”
“We’re just devastated by the horrific loss,” he added in a statement. “These heroes leave behind loved ones and a community who will forever remember their bravery and dedication to keeping Minnesotans safe.”
The suspect has multiple firearms.
Evans stated that officials were still investigating the exchange of gunfire and that numerous cops returned fire. According to Evans, authorities will analyze the police’s body-camera footage and conduct interviews as part of their inquiry.
During the barricade, Evans stated that the subject fired at cops from numerous points within the property. The suspect had numerous firearms and a significant supply of ammo.
At least one of the policemen slain was shot inside the residence, and detectives are “still piecing together” the whereabouts of the other two fatalities, according to Evans.
Two officers, paramedic identified
Elmstrand, a 27-year-old community service officer with the Burnsville Police Department, was one of two officers recognized as paramedics. He was promoted to officer in 2019 and served on the department’s mobile command staff, peer team, Honor Guard, and field training unit.
Ruge, 27, began working for the local police department in 2020, according to officials. He was a member of the department’s crisis resolution team and a physical evidence officer.
Finseth, 40, has worked as a firefighter-paramedic in Burnsville since 2019, according to the city.
The three victims were brought to the medical examiner’s office in a procession. Local media stations broadcast footage of community members, and first responders lined the streets to memorialize the victims.
“It’s a really difficult day for our public safety family. “We’re hurting,” Burnsville police Chief Tanya Schwartz said during the press conference. “Three members of our teams gave the ultimate sacrifice for our town. “They’re heroes.”
The Associated Press said that on Sunday night, dozens of people gathered in front of Burnsville City Hall for a candlelit vigil to honor the deaths. Several uniformed cops from other departments were also present, including those from St. Paul.
A fire truck and a police car were in front of the structure. The police cruiser had flower bouquets on the hood and handwritten signs tucked behind the glass. Those assembled prayed together and sang “Amazing Grace.”
“It’s an important community,” neighborhood resident Kris Martin told the Associated Press, “and we feel very saddened by what happened.”
A retired fireman struggles with the news.
Pat Knaeble, a former fire captain and paramedic for the Burnsville Fire Department, told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he awoke Sunday to a chaotic scene outside his home. Knaeble, 68, stated that he witnessed SWAT team personnel transport three casualties to the front of his house and into waiting ambulances. He found it difficult to accept that a fellow firefighter had been shot.
“Firefighters never get shot,” Knaeble explained. “For it to happen is a massive fluke, and it’s just really terrible. “It’s like losing a family member.”
‘The war on cops rages on’
The Fraternal Order of Police’s national vice president, Joe Gamaldi, described the recent shootings as “horrific” and reported a 60% increase in officer shootings.
“The battle on cops goes on. “When have we had enough, America?” he said.
Senator Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., stated in a social media post that three cops were shot while “doing their jobs.” “They were protecting our community.” She stated that she and her husband were praying for the victims, their families, and the Burnsville Police Department this morning.
In a social media message, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara requested people “keep Burnsville Police in their prayers.”
Burnsville is a Dakota County community of 65,000 inhabitants located less than 20 miles south of downtown Minneapolis. The city advertises on its website that it is the metro area’s ninth-largest suburb and a “commuter’s dream” due to its proximity to Minneapolis and St. Paul.
“Burnsville is a community where residents feel safe and welcome to be themselves,” the city’s website states. “Visitors find a place they want to come back to again and again, businesses are positioned for success, and city staff and team members find meaningful work and opportunities to grow and evolve.”
