Who were the officers and paramedic fatally shot in Burnsville?
BURNSVILLE, Minn. — Two police officers and a paramedic were killed in Burnsville Sunday morning.
Burnsville city officials identified the victims as officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge and firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth.
RELATED: 2 officers, 1 paramedic killed in Burnsville, Minnesota
They were responding to a call about an armed man, whom the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension identified Monday as 38-year-old Shannon Gooden, who was reportedly barricaded inside a residence with family members, including seven children ranging in age from 2 to 15.
City officials say "the situation escalated into gunfire," and Elmstrand, Ruge and Finseth were fatally shot. A third BPD member, Sgt. Adam Medlicott, was wounded and is expected to survive.
Gooden died by suicide, the medical examiner said. Family members inside the home were able to escape safely, according to city officials.
RELATED: How to help the families of Burnsville police officers and paramedic killed in shooting
Officer Paul Elmstrand
City officials say Elmstrand, 27, joined the Burnsville Police Department in 2017 as a community service officer, and was promoted to officer in 2019. The Chaska resident was a member of the BPD's mobile command staff, peer team, honor guard and field training unit. Elmstrand was also a part-time officer with the University of Minnesota Police Department.
He died from multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office .
Officer Matthew Ruge
Ruge, also 27, joined the Burnsville Police Department in 2020, according to city officials. The Northfield resident was a physical evidence officer and a member of BPD's crisis negotiations team.
The HCMEO announced Monday that he died from a gunshot wound to the chest.
Firefighter/Paramedic Adam Finseth
Finseth, 40, has been a firefighter and SWAT paramedic in the city since 2019. The Savage resident also served as a water rescue trainer and was a member of Burnsville's Health and Wellness Committee. Fire Chief B.J. Jungmann says Finseth previously worked with the fire departments in Savage and Hastings.
Finseth was also a volunteer youth baseball coach for Prior Lake/Savage, according to the Prior Lake Athletics for Youth Facebook page. He served in the Army's Bravo Company 1st Battalion 327th Infantry during Operation Iraqi Freedom, according to his LinkedIn page.
The HCMEO says he died from gunshot wounds to his right arm and torso.
RELATED: Burnsville shooting suspect identified as Shannon Gooden
Medlicott, 38, has been with BPD for nearly a decade. He was released from Hennepin Healthcare Monday and is recovering at home. Meldicott was Burnsville's Officer of the Year in 2020 and was promoted to sergeant in 2022. He is a drug recognition expert who also supervises community service officers.
At Hennepin Healthcare in downtown Minneapolis, police and first responders from multiple cities gathered to show support. Injured officers are often taken to Hennepin Healthcare due to its status as a level-one trauma center.
Gov. Tim. Walz ordered flags be flown at half-staff starting Monday at sunrise.
A vigil was held for the victims Sunday evening at Burnsville City Hall.
RELATED: 5 Minnesota law enforcement members have been fatally shot since 2015
Suicide prevention and domestic violence resources
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or suicidal crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). For more information about mental health care resources and support, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or email info@nami.org.
For anonymous, confidential help, people can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or 1-800-787-3224.