School canceled in Burnsville Wednesday due to road closures for funeral honoring fallen first responders
BURNSVILLE, Minn. — School for all students in the Bursville-Eagan-Savage district will be canceled on Wednesday due to road closures for the funeral service honoring three first responders who were killed in a shooting earlier this month.
All facilities for District 191 will be closed to the public, and after-school athletics and activities are canceled. The closure also applies to Virtual Academy.
"This is an unprecedented situation and the district understands this is a disruption for many families," the district said in a statement on Facebook. "We appreciate your understanding and partnership."
The funeral honors police officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, as well as paramedic and firefighter Adam Finseth. The three were shot by Shannon Gooden on Feb. 18. Gooden later died by suicide.
The funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. at Grace Church in Eden Prairie. Afterwards, a procession will move east along Pioneer Trail and south on Highway 169 back to Burnsville.
The following roads will be closed approximately between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.:
To see a map of the procession, click here.
Many people want to show support, but not everyone can attend. Organizers say the best way to honor the fallen heroes is to watch the live stream and procession routes.
Anyone who does not attend the funeral can watch the service live on WCCO-TV or CBS New Minnesota. Streaming coverage will begin at 10:30 a.m.
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.
