A desperate call for help from a home in suburban Minneapolis turned deadly for two police officers and a first responder who were shot and killed at the scene, according to officials.
BySTEVE KARNOWSKIandHEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH, AP News
BURNSVILLE, Minn. (AP) — A man armed with multiple guns and large amounts of ammunition shot at police officers from inside a suburban Minneapolis home that was filled with children on Sunday, killing two officers and a firefighter who was providing medical aid to one of the wounded, authorities said.
A third officer was wounded in the shooting in a tree-lined neighborhood of two-story homes in Burnsville, Minnesota. The suspect in the shooting also died, officials said.
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said there was an exchange of gunfire, and authorities were still piecing together details of what he described as a “terrible day.”
The firefighter, who also works as a paramedic, was shot while providing aid to an injured officer, Evans said. He told a news conference the paramedic was a part of a SWAT team that had been called to a domestic situation at the home.
Inside, an armed man had barricaded himself with his family, including seven children ranging in age from 2 to 15, Evans said.
He said negotiations lasted for hours before the suspect opened fire. He wasn’t specific on the exact amount of time, but the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association said the standoff lasted four hours before a SWAT team entered the home.
Evans said the suspect had several guns and large amounts of ammunition and shot at the police officers from multiple positions within the home, including the upper and lower floors. Evans said at least one officer was shot inside the home.
“We still don’t know the exact exchange of gunfire that occurred,” Evans said. “Certainly several officers did return fire.”
He said that around 8 a.m. the suspect was found dead and the family and children were released from the home. None of them were hurt.
City officials identified the slain officers as Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, both 27. Adam Finseth, 40, a firefighter and paramedic, also was killed.
Another police officer, Sgt. Adam Medlicott, was injured and being treated at a hospital with what are believed to be non-life-threatening injuries, the city said.
As the bodies of the dead left a hospital, officers saluted, before they were taken in a convoy to the medical examiner’s office. Medical staff watched in scrubs.
“We’re hurting,” said Police Chief Tanya Schwartz. “Today, three members of our team made the ultimate sacrifice for this community. They are heroes.”
Fire Chief BJ Jungmann said the community was grieving and asked for privacy for the families. None of the relatives of the officers or the firefighter immediately returned phone messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.
Evans said the medical examiner would identify the suspect and said autopsies were planned for Monday. There was no indication the home had been a source of troubles in the past.
“There have not been many calls for service at all,” Evans said.
As the investigation unfolded, the neighborhood was ringed with police cars to keep reporters and the public away. A police armored vehicle had bullet damage to its windshield, and Evans confirmed it sustained the damage in the gunfight.
Police scanner recordings onBroadcastify.comcapture a rattled man saying, “I need any ambulance,” as he struggled to catch his breath. Someone later could be heard talking about three being loaded into ambulances, uttering the word “critical.”
A police officer walks across a road after two police officers and a first responder were shot and killed Sunday, Feb. 18, 2024, in Burnsville, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
As news spread, other law enforcement agencies immediately began posting messages of condolence on social media, including images of badges with blue bars through them. It is a mark of solidarity in mourning.
“In times like these, it is essential to come together as a community and support one another through the uncertainty and grief,” said Marty Kelly, the sheriff in neighboring Goodhue County.
Flags also were lowered to half-staff, with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz urging urged those who walked past them to take a moment and think about the first responders who lost their lives.
“Minnesota mourns with you,” he said. “The state stands ready to assist in any way possible.”
Burnsville, a city of around 64,000, is located about 15 miles (24 kilometers) south of downtown Minneapolis.
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Associated Press writers Rob Jagodzinski in New York City and Maysoon Khan in Albany, New York, contributed to this report.
