BURNSVILLE, Minn. — Two Burnsville police officers and a firefighter/paramedic shot and killed in the line of duty on Sunday will be remembered in a joint service next week.
The public memorial service for officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge and firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 11 a.m. at Grace Church in Eden Prairie, the church confirmed.
The three men were among a group of first responders called to a domestic situation early in the morning of Feb. 18 when the situation "escalated into gunfire," according to investigators. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner confirmed Elmstrand suffered "multiple gunshot wounds," Ruge was shot in the chest, and Finseth was shot in the arm and torso. A fourth responder, Burnsville Police Sgt. Adam Medlicott was injured and taken to HCMC, where he was treated and released. The gunman took his own life.
Elmstrand, 27, was a 2015 graduate of Cambridge-Isanti High School, also worked part-time for the University of Minnesota Police Department.
"He was the most generous, loving, patient person I've ever known with the biggest smile," his wife, Cindy Elmstrand-Castruita, said in a statement to KARE 11. "He had a servant’s heart and would drop everything to help someone who was in need, whether it be family, friend or someone on the street. He loved his job as a police officer and had a strong bond with those he worked with, but he always placed his family first. "
Ruge, also 27, was part of Burnsville's crisis negotiations team and was a physical evidence officer, according to the city. He graduated in 2018 from Minnesota State University Mankato.
"From the earliest age, Matt wanted to help and protect people," Ruge's family said in a statement. "He found his true calling as a Police Officer, becoming an even greater force for good in the world. He said he wanted to be there for people when they were having the worst days of their lives and help him overcome their challenges."
Finseth, 40, had been a firefighter/paramedic in Burnsville since 2019. He previously worked as a firefighter in Hastings and Savage.
"Adam was one of the most selfless and humble individuals you would ever meet," his wife, Tara Finseth, said in a statement. "His dedication to his family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, community, and country was unwavering. Although our forever hero is no longer with us, his soul will live on through me, his children, family, friends and community."
Watch more coverage of the Burnsville shootings on the KARE 11 YouTube channel: