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BURNSVILLE, Minn. — Two police officers and a paramedic were shot to death in a Twin Cities suburb Sunday morning, authorities said, and the man who shot them is also dead.
Superintendent Drew Evans of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said Burnsville police officers were called to a home around 1:50 a.m. at 33rd Avenue South and East 126th Street, just west of the Interstate 35E interchange. -Highway 77.
A suspect inside was reported to be armed and several people were barricaded inside, including seven young children ranging in age from 2 to 15 years old.
RELATED: Who were the officers and paramedics shot to death in Burnsville?
City of Burnsville
Evans said law enforcement “spent quite a bit of time negotiating with this individual” and paramedics arrived for backup around 5 a.m. Minutes later, dispatch ordered everyone to stay back after the suspect opened fire.
Burnsville city officials identified the victims as Officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge and Firefighter and Paramedic Adam Finseth. Sergeant. Adam Medlicott with BPD was also shot, but he is expected to survive.
The suspect, who has not been identified, was reported dead around 8 a.m., and family members at the home managed to get out safely a short time later.
Evans said details about the timing and exchange of gunfire are unclear at this point in the investigation.
“A terrible day for the city of Burnsville and all its residents,” Evans said.
The fallen lifeguards.
City officials said Elmstrand, 27, joined the Burnsville Police Department in 2017 and was promoted in 2019.
Ruge, also 27, joined the police force in 2020.
Finseth, 40, has been a firefighter and SWAT paramedic with the city since 2019. Fire Chief BJ Jungmann says Finseth previously worked with the Savage and Hastings fire departments.
READ MORE: Five Minnesota police officers shot to death in the line of duty since 2015
Medlicott has been with BPD for nine years and five months.
Police Chief Tanya Schwartz says her department is “hurting.”
“Today, three members of our team made the ultimate sacrifice for this community. They are heroes,” Schwartz said. “Every day we pray for them to return home to their families. And today that is not happening. We are heartbroken. We will need time to be together. Our families need time to grieve.”
Jungmann says Sunday was the toughest day the city has ever experienced.
“It’s a tragic day, we’re all grieving and we’re all trying to understand what happened and why,” Jungmann said.
READ MORE: Five Minnesota police officers shot to death in the line of duty since 2015
Neighbors describe the scene.
Jason Skog said he started seeing a large police and SWAT presence in his Burnsville neighborhood around 2 a.m., but said things escalated three hours later at 5 a.m.
“I heard a loud explosion, which I immediately attributed to an engine going out, like a firework. But a minute later I heard another one, followed shortly after by a series of gunshots, very rapid,” Skog said. “So I knew right away that something bad was happening.”
Skog didn’t know exactly where the shots were coming from, but he knew it was near his house.
“Shortly after, we received a phone call from the police department to shelter in place, go to the basement and shelter in place,” Skog said.
Dylan Foline also lives in this neighborhood. The father of two is shocked by what happened, especially after learning that a family was barricaded in the home at the time of the shooting.
“This is a tragedy and now I have to explain to my daughter what happened today, and it’s just thinking about those kids, that’s what really hits me and my heart goes out to the families of the first responders,” Foline said.
Shawn Flynn lives around the corner.
“Definitely some extra hugs and cuddles this morning with my kids and wife,” Flynn said. “I’m grateful that something like this hasn’t happened in our lifetime and hopefully it never will. It’s also a harsh reminder that you never know when you wake up on Sunday morning and everything went wrong.”
The street was blocked all day Sunday for everyone except authorities and homeowners.
Hundreds of people line the streets of the subway to honor the victims
At Hennepin Healthcare in downtown Minneapolis, police and first responders from several cities gathered to show their support Sunday afternoon. Injured officers are often taken to the hospital due to its status as a level one trauma center.
Their coffins, draped with American flags, were transported in vans outside the hospital as a crowd of law enforcement officers rose to greet them.
Doctors, nurses and other hospital staff lined the walkway to see them off. Police, fire and paramedic vehicles remained nearby as the vans left the center.
WCCO
Governor Tim Walz reacts
The support and condolences of Minnesota state leaders and other law enforcement agencies are reaching social networks.
“We must never take for granted the bravery and sacrifices our first responders make every day,” Walz said in a statement. “Today, the families of these public servants received the call they knew was possible but hoped would never come. My heart goes out to those grieving families – the state of Minnesota stands ready to support in any way we can. This is a tragic loss for our state.”
Walz ordered flags to fly at half-staff starting at dawn Monday. A vigil for the victims was held Sunday afternoon at Burnsville City Hall.
Sunday’s shooting marks the ninth time since June that first responders have been killed or injured by gunfire in Minnesota or surrounding communities.
He Memorial page for fallen officer says a total of 18 officers nationwide have died in the line of duty so far this year, four of them from gunfire.
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