Burnsville, MN, Firefighter, Cops Remembered on Anniversary of Murders

A man holding an American flag and bagpipe silently saluted and put his hand over his heart on Tuesday in front of three wreaths memorializing three Burnsville first responders killed a year ago.

During a day of remembrances, Burnsville police officers gathered before dawn in the neighborhood where officers Matt Ruge and Paul Elmstrand, and firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth were ambushed in a shooting.

Burnsville Deputy Police Chief Matt Smith said last week that he and officers wanted to be together at the same time they lost their colleagues and friends on Feb. 18, 2024.

“I said it at the memorial service last year and it’s so true, these guys — all three of them — were just the nicest guys,” Smith said. “We certainly miss them. … These sort of milestones are hard because it makes the feelings come back and they’re also, in their own way, healing to me.”

Last year, police responded to a 911 call about a domestic disturbance at a home on 33rd Avenue off Burnsville Parkway. Shannon Gooden, 38, barricaded himself in the home with seven children of his and his live-in girlfriend’s.

Police negotiated with Gooden for hours, but he opened fire “without warning” and shot more than 100 rifle rounds at law enforcement and first responders, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said last year.

Gooden fatally shot Finseth, Elmstrand and Ruge, and wounded Sgt. Adam Medlicott. The officers were both 27 and Finseth was 40. Elmstrand and Finseth were married, and each had a son and a daughter.

“Each soul taken from us represents not just a life lost, but a light extinguished, a beacon of courage, dedication and selflessness,” Burnsville Mayor Elizabeth Kautz said at a memorial service at City Hall on Tuesday. “… They answered the call of duty to rescue seven children with unwavering resolve, placing their own lives on the line for the safety of others.”

The mayor, city council members, and the police and fire chiefs were flanked by large photos of each of the three men in their uniforms, and memorial wreaths bearing ribbons with their names and “EOW (End of Watch) 2/18/2024.”

Burnsville Police Chief Tanya Schwartz said they wanted the community to know that while the anniversary “is extremely emotional, we are healing.”

“We focus on remembering Matt, Paul and Adam for the exceptional men that they were every day — amazing husbands, fathers and sons who loved the outdoors, who loved their families, their dogs, who made people laugh and smile with their humor,” Schwartz said.

They also know that “Matt, Paul and Adam wouldn’t have wanted us to feel broken, so our police officers, our firefighter/paramedics, continue to show up every day with unwavering courage and dedication, just as their fallen partners did,” the police chief added.

Burnsville Fire Chief BJ Jungmann said a common question they hear is: “How are you and your department doing?”

“It’s a really hard question to answer,” he said. “The reality is, I’m still at a loss to try to comprehend this unthinkable tragedy. The truth is, I may not ever fully understand it. I do know this for certain, though, we will continue to work to heal together and support each other.”

Memorial wreaths were also outside City Hall and people left bouquets of flowers; a crocheted blue heart was placed next to each officers’ wreath and a red heart by Finseth’s.

Among the people who visited the memorials Tuesday was Sue Allmann of Burnsville. She said she went to “thank them for their service and speak on the evil of the world, trying to bring light to what happened.”

Nathan Michels of Plymouth was in the area for a meeting and visited the wreaths to pay his respects. “I can’t believe it’s been a year,” he said. “… It’s just unreal.”

All the Burnsville officers who responded to the incident last year are back to work, Smith said.

“I think it’s a great testament to the resilience of everybody that works here and taking care of each other,” he said. “We’ve normalized getting mental health help, which we had already done before the incident.”

Last month, Ashley Dyrdahl, Gooden’s girlfriend, pleaded guilty to straw purchasing the firearms that Gooden used. Gooden, who died by suicide at the home after shooting the first responders, wasn’t allowed to possess firearms because of a past felony conviction.

Fundraising for trips to national memorials

The Minnesota Fraternal Order of Police Foundation is fundraising for family members and police and fire personnel to travel this spring to the National Law Enforcement Memorial and National Fallen Firefighters Memorial. Donations can be made at gofund.me/c592dd92.

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