Community Mourns 3 First Responders Killed in Minnesota Shooting
Citizens around the Minneapolis suburb of Burnsville, Minnesota, lined the streets on Wednesday, February 28, to pay their respects to two policemen and an EMS worker who were killed on February 18 by gunfire during a hostage situation.
Footage released by Albert Lea Fire Rescue shows people lining the streets in Savage, next to Burnsville, waving flags in support of first responders. It also shows the procession that followed the funeral, which was held in Eden Prairie.
According to Albert Lea Fire Rescue, around 7,600 people attended the funeral of Officer Paul Elmstrand, Officer Matthew Ruge, and Firefighter-Paramedic Adam Finseth at Grace Church.
Commenting on the video of the procession, the fire rescue service said “If you got to see the procession in person or online, you will see it stretched for miles.”
According to reports of the fatal shooting, the three men responded to a 911 call to find an armed man holding several family members, including seven children. As they were trying to convince the man to surrender, he opened fire on them.
Sgt Adam Medlicott, a Burnsville officer wounded in the incident, concluded his speech at the funeral with these words: “We were there for seven children. Nothing could be more honorable. Rest easy, brothers.” Credit: Albert Lea Fire Rescue via Storyful
Video transcript
- Look how many squad cars and fire trucks right now all along here that have help them blocked in aren't even in the processional. Just how much is involved in this whole thing.
- Yeah, they love that. And we need to think [INAUDIBLE].
- Yeah.
- Thank you.
