Public funeral for 3 first responders killed in Burnsville to be held Feb. 28
MINNEAPOLIS — The three first responders killed in Burnsville last weekend will be memorialized with a public funeral on Wednesday, Feb. 28, WCCO has learned.
The joint funeral will take place at Grace Church in Eden Prairie at 11 a.m. The families have also planned private funerals for each victim.
Shannon Gooden fatally shot police officers Matthew Ruge and Paul Elmstrand and firefighter and paramedic Adam Finseth during a standoff Sunday morning, authorities said. Gooden also died by suicide, according to the medical examiner's report.
Sgt. Adam Medlicott was also injured and has since been released from the hospital.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating the confrontation.
The city of Burnsville held a vigil for the fallen first responders on Sunday night, and community members gathered for another remembrance on Tuesday. In the days since their deaths, local nonprofits, restaurants and other organizations have stepped up to support their grieving families.
A memorial outside the Burnsville Police Department, featuring two law enforcement vehicles and a fire truck, continues to draw flowers and other adornments from the public.
Elmstrand, 27, had been with the Burnsville Police Department since 2017 and was promoted in 2019. He was also a part-time officer with the University of Minnesota Police Department.
Ruge, also 27, joined the Burnsville Police Department in 2020.
Finseth, 40, had been a firefighter and SWAT paramedic in the city since 2019. He previously worked with the fire departments in Savage and Hastings, and was also an Army veteran.
WCCO will offer live coverage of the Feb. 28 funeral on CBS News Minnesota.
