Minnesota police responded to a domestic dispute call. Two police officers and an EMT wound up dead
Two Burnsville police officers and a firefighter working in an EMT were shot and killed in the early morning incident. Graig Graziosi reports
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It was nearly 2am when multiple Minnesota police officers parked their cruisers close to a home on 33rd Avenue in Burnsville.
The call that summoned them to the home was a domestic dispute that had reportedly spiraled into a barricaded suspect situation.
Seven children were reportedly inside the home at the time, their ages ranging from two to 15-years-old.
As is typical when a suspect barricades themselves or others in a home, law enforcement officials try to negotiate with them to reach a peaceful resolution.
Of course, a peaceful resolution is not always achieved – this situation being one of those times.
In fact, by the time the sun rose in Burnsville, two police officers, a paramedic, and the suspect were all dead.
The shooting
Police in Burnsville reportedly spent hours negotiating with the male suspect inside the home, according to USA Today.
According to a witness account, the gunfire erupted at the property at around 5.30am.
“We heard a lot of rapid fire,” a neighbour, who did not provide his name, told local broadcaster Fox 9. “Lot of gunshots, couldn't even tell you how many.”
By 8am the gunfire had stopped, and police confirmed the suspect had died.
All of the children inside the home were escorted out unharmed.
What exactly happened after the emergency responders arrived on the scene – and how three as well as the suspect ended up dead – remains unclear.
Drew Evans, the superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said that at least one of the first responders was killed inside the home.
The suspect reportedly fired shots from both the ground floor and the upper floor of the home during the exchange of gunfire.
The victims
Two Burnsville police officers and a firefighter working in an EMT capacity at the scene were shot and killed during the incident.
Paul Elmstrand, 27, joined Burnsville's police department in August 2017 as a community officer and was promoted two years later. He eventually joined the department's mobile command staff, its peer team, honour guard, and its filed training unit, CNN reported.
Elmstrand's wife, Cindy Elmstrand-Castruita, said she learned in a text message that he had been killed.
She recalled seeing a message expressing sympathy and remorse for what she must be going through, and then looking out her window to see a squad car outside her home.
“I looked out my bedroom window and saw a squad car out there,” she told CBS News. “I knew. That's when I knew he was gone.”
She said her husband loved his job and described him as a hero.
“He was the most generous, loving, patient person I've ever known,” Ms Elmstrand-Castruita said. “He could have a conversation with anyone and make them feel seen. He would drop everything to help someone who was in need, whether it be family, friend or someone on the street.”
Matthew Ruge, 27, was also killed. Mr Ruge joined the police department in 2020, and served on its crisis negotiations team and worked as a physical evidence officer.
He was remembered by a neighbour as a man who was “all about doing nice things for people,” including spending time with her while her father was dying.
“Unfortunately, his life was cut way too short,” the neighbour, Robin Gwaltney told local outlet KARE, “because he was a first-rate person.”
The third victim was Adam Finseth, 40. He was working as a Burnsville firefighter-paramedic on the night of the shooting and was assigned to a SWAT team deployed to the home. He was reportedly shot and killed while attempting to assist one of the wounded police officers.
He had been working as a paramedic since 2019.
“We’re hurting. Today three members of our team made the ultimate sacrifice for this community,” Burnsville Police Chief Tanya Schwartz said during a news conference on Sunday. “They are heroes.”
“Our police officers and our fire-paramedics — they come to work every day. They do it willingly. They know they might have to give up their life for their partners, for someone else. They know they have to give up their life sometimes, and they do it anyways,” she added during a vigil on Sunday.
Adam Medicott, a Burnsville police officer, was also wounded in the shooting. He was treated at a local hospital with non-life-threatening wounds and is expected to recover.
A vigil was held on Sunday evening at Burnsville City Hall to remember the victims. Governor Tim Walz also ordered flags to be flown at half-mast beginning on Monday at sunrise.
“We must never take for granted the bravery and sacrifices our first responders make each and every day,” Mr 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 is with those grieving families – the State of Minnesota stands ready to support in any way we can.”
The suspect
There are currently few details about the suspect involved in the shooting.
What is known is that the suspect had “several guns and a large amount of ammunition” stored at his home, according to Mr Evans.
The suspect had died at the home but it is unclear if he was killed by police or if he died by other means.