Donation platform announced for families of Burnsville’s fallen first responders as second vigil is held

Mara H. Gottfried, Molly Guthrey, Pioneer Press
Updated ·8 min read
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Three Burnsville first responders made the ultimate sacrifice in answering a call for help and now “it’s on us to answer their call” by helping their families, officials said Tuesday.

Minnesota public safety organizations announced they are partnering to collect financial donations for the families of police officers Paul Elmstrand, 27, and Matthew Ruge, 27, and firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth, 40, who died in the line of duty on Sunday, fatally shot while responding to a domestic incident in this suburban community in Dakota County. The gunman, who died by suicide, was barricaded in a home with seven children from his family.

“I think about these three men so young, taken away (with) really, their whole lives in front of them,” U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar said during a Tuesday vigil outside Burnsville City Hall. “… They answered a call of duty. That’s what they did every day and that’s what they did this day. They didn’t delay, they didn’t turn away, that went right into the danger to save those seven children.”

More information about the fund for the first responders’ families and how to donate can be found at lels.org/benevolent-fund.

Minneapolis Police Chaplain David Engman began the memorial gathering by asking people to bow their heads: “We pray, Lord, for the families of the fallen and wounded heroes in our community that serve us with courage. We pray, Father, for the innocent children and the mothers that were” dragged “into this tragedy.”

Elmstrand, married since 2018, was the father of two children, ages 5 months and 2 years.

A Klobuchar staff member was best friends with Finseth’s sister and spent a lot of time at their house growing up.

“She talked about how he was always the older brother that everyone loved, that every little girl that would visit would have a crush on him because he was so great,” Klobuchar said.

Ruge grew up in the close-knit town of Read’s Landing off U.S. 61 along the Mississippi River north of Wabasha, Minn. People close to him knew he wanted to be a police officer since he was a young boy, the Wabasha Police Department posted in a remembrance on Facebook.

Other public safety agencies helping Burnsville

With Tuesday’s regularly scheduled Burnsville City Council meeting canceled due to the tragedy, leaders instead honored the first responders by gathering with the community for a vigil. It was the second vigil since the first responders were killed; the first was held Sunday evening.

Burnsville Mayor Elizabeth Kautz said she knew the three men who were killed. When anyone is hired by the city of Burnsville, “their whole family is our family and now our focus is on the families of the fallen and we need to take care of them,” Kautz said.

Neighboring public safety agencies “have come to cover our shifts while our officers are in grief, they have come to cover our fire department while firefighter/paramedics are grieving,” Kautz said.

“Our city has been blanketed with public safety from a dozen different agencies around the south metro,” added City Council Member Dan Kealey about them answering 911 calls for Burnsville. “… We have an entire force on leave for PD and fire to mourn, to come together.”

Minnesota Valley Transit Authority has placed large decals with Burnsville police and fire badges, with mourning bands on them, on buses. On Wednesday, by noon, 1,000 stickers in a smaller size for passenger vehicles will be available for pick up at Burnsville City Hall, Kealey said.

Since Minnesotans learned of the tragedy, people have been leaving heaps of bouquets of flowers, cards and other memorials on two squad cars and an ambulance parked outside Burnsville City Hall.

“That is a reflection of the community that you live in,” Kealey said.

Fundraising effort verified

The city of Burnsville is directing donations to the Law Enforcement Labor Services’ Benevolent Fund. LELS is the largest public safety labor union in Minnesota.

“This is the only contribution site we have verified on behalf of the families,” the city announced on its website on Tuesday. “Please be aware of scam fundraisers seeking to exploit this tragedy.” As public support grew, the city warned people to beware of scam fundraisers, fearing fraud.

Law Enforcement Labor Services (LELS), a public safety labor union, uses its Benevolent Fund to provide support and financial aid for the families of members as well as the families of other Minnesota public safety professionals who are seriously injured or killed in the line of duty, regardless of union membership.

The LELS Benevolent Fund Inc. is a 501c3 charity.

“This is the official and only public donation platform verified by the City of Burnsville on behalf of the families of the fallen heroes,” LELS announced in a news release. “All proceeds will go directly to the families.”

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An official flyer with donation information also notes that the families of the slain officers have verified the platform as a way to collect donations.

In addition to the website, donations may also be mailed to Law Enforcement Labor Services Benevolent Fund Inc.; Attention: Burnsville Heroes; 2700 Freeway Blvd., Suite 700; Brooklyn Center, MN 55430.

For questions or if you have problems donating, contact Connie Deans at LELS at cdeans@lels.org or 651-793-2323.

A coordinated effort

The LELS public safety labor union is partnering with the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, the largest association representing public safety professionals in the state, to collect donations for the families of the slain officers.

Such donations have, unfortunately, been especially needed over the last year.

“This was the ninth time in barely 10 months that law enforcement officers have been killed or wounded by gunfire in Minnesota or an adjoining state,” LELS said in a news release on Tuesday.

The city of Burnsville on Tuesday thanked the public for the “deeply appreciated” outpouring of support and contributions that have already been given.

A growing memorial

The public can continue to leave flowers and other items at the growing memorial outside of City Hall, a spokesperson told the Pioneer Press on Tuesday. These items will remain through the date or dates of the memorial services, which are still to be determined. A procession for the officers’ bodies from the medical examiner’s office to a funeral home happened Tuesday.

To show the grieving community support in other ways, the city offered an additional option on Tuesday.

“For those who would like to make a non-monetary contribution as a show of support, you may bring contributions to Prince of Peace Church, 13801 Fairview Dr., Burnsville, MN 55337.

“More information is available at Prince of Peace’s Mission Outpost donation center (at popmn.org/mission/mission-outpost/#donate).”

More info and updates at burnsvillemn.gov/communityupdates.

Immediate help

Also on Tuesday, two local nonprofit organizations announced immediate monetary support to the families of the first responders.

The Front Line Foundation announced that it is giving a total of $60,000 to the families, while the MN 100 Club announced it is giving a total of $150,000.

The MN 100 Club announced that it will also provide financial assistance to Burnsville Police Sgt. Adam Medlicott as he recovers from the injuries he sustained on Sunday.

For the fallen officers, the money for their families is meant to help provide support prior to full death benefits being paid out.

“We know it can take weeks or even months for death benefits to be realized,” said Jim Mortenson, a MN 100 Club board member and executive director of law enforcement labor services, in a news release.

“This payment comes at a time where grief is high and financial stress is the last thing families of the fallen need to endure,” the Front Line Foundation news release stated.

In addition to supporting families, the Front Line Foundation also raises money to purchase tactical equipment for first responders that is not included in department budgets.

“We are humbled to do our part to protect the families of those who protect us,” said Suzanne Holt, president and CEO of the foundation, in Tuesday’s announcement.

The foundation, which was founded in 2018, will continue to raise funds for its missions. On Friday, it will be the beneficiary of funds raised at the 8th annual Guns and Hoses Charity Hockey Game at the Blaine Super Rink.

For info on the game or to donate, visit gnhnow.com.

The MN 100 Club, founded in 1972, provides emergency financial assistance to the families of first responders who are killed or critically injured in the line of duty. The organization raises funds through memberships, special events and the sale of specialty license plates. In late 2022, the MN 100 Club increased its maximum award amount to $50,000. This is the second time the maximum amount has been given — the first was last April, when Pope County Deputy Josh Owen was killed in the line of duty.

“These first responders leave behind families who need us now to stand in the financial gap and help protect them as they navigate the coming months,” said Bill Kozlak, club treasurer, in a statement. “The MN 100 Club will be there for these families.”

Droolin’ Moose, a chocolate store with various locations, announced that $15 of every cup of its milk chocolate almond toffee, called Top Dogs, sold in stores or online between Tuesday and Saturday will go to Burnsville police and rescue to use as they see fit.

Hope Breakfast Bar donated 100 percent of its sales from its Eagan location on Tuesday to the fallen first responders’ families and owner Brian Ingram said it was more than $20,000.

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