Burnsville, Minnesota cops Paul Elmstrand, Matthew Ruge, Adam Medlicott shot on duty

Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge of Minnesota, United States have died. They were both 27.

Elmstrand and Ruge were officers with the police department of Burnsville, Dakota County, Minnesota. Before being hired by the department, the former participated in the Isanti County Law Enforcement Explorers Program.

Ruge was a physical evidence officer and was part of the department’s crisis negotiations team. Elmstrand worked in the department’s peer team, field training unit, mobile command staff and honor guard.

In 2017, Elmstrand joined the department as a community services officer. In 2019, he was promoted to police officer.

In 2020, Burnsville Police Department sergeant Adam Medlicott, then 36, was named the department’s Officer of the Year. In the same year, Ruge joined the department.

Paul Elmstrand, Matthew Ruge and Adam Finseth.

Three lives lost in the line of duty today, protecting young children from unspeakable danger. My heart goes out to their families and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/9Iy4XodFsZ

— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) February 19, 2024

At around 1:50 a.m. on February 18, 2024, Burnsville Police Department officers were called to a residence on 33rd Avenue South and East 126th Street in Burnsville. While armed, Shannon Cortez Gooden, 38, barricaded himself inside with several family members including seven children aged 2-15.

The situation escalated into gunfire with the first responders including Elmstrand, Ruge and Medlicott. The three officers were shot.

Medlicott, who was wounded, is expected to survive but neither Elmstrand nor Ruge survived. Also fatally shot during the encounter was Adam Finseth, 40, a firefighter and paramedic for Burnsville since 2019.

At around 8:00 a.m., Gooden fatally shot himself. A short time later, the family members inside the residence were able to escape safely.