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Minnesota News
Cari Spencer

Temporary memorial for fallen first responders in Burnsville to be taken down

The city is asking people to pay their respects by Saturday

People pray at a police cruiser
People pray at a police cruiser covered in flowers and other offerings outside Burnsville City Hall on Feb. 20. It was part of a temporary memorial to officers Paul Elmstrand and Mathew Ruge, and firefighter-paramedic Adam Finseth, who were fatally shot while responding to a domestic situation at a Burnsville home.
Tim Evans for MPR News

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The temporary memorial for the three first responders shot and killed while responding to a call in Burnsville last month will be taken down starting Sunday.

“As we follow the mourning tradition of our public safety teams,” Burnsville city officials said in an update this week, “we will begin decommissioning the memorial site outside City Hall and continue to move forward in our grieving.”

For nearly three weeks, community members have left flowers, cards and balloons on two police cruisers and a fire-paramedic truck parked in front of Burnsville City Hall. Each vehicle honored one of the fallen: Officer Paul Elmstrand, 27; Officer Matthew Ruge, 27; and firefighter-paramedic Adam Finseth, 40.

Burnsville Fire Department vehicle covered in flowers
Early morning light shines on a Burnsville Fire Department vehicle covered in flowers and other offerings outside Burnsville City Hall on Feb. 28.
Tim Evans for MPR News

“It’s really emotional being here,” said Beth Bouman, a community member who visited the memorial on Feb. 19, the day after the three first responders died. “But we need to show our respect and let the community know that we will be united in honoring what they have done.”

Bronze statues of a police officer, firefighter and paramedic were unveiled at the memorial site at the start of March. The installment, called “Homage,” will go back into the care of the Burnsville Community Foundation until a permanent installation at a later date.

The city said it has “made a thoughtful plan with our police and fire teams to care for” other items left at the memorial.

The city is asking people to pay their respects at City Hall by Saturday; the Sunday decommissioning will be private.

More than 30,000 people, both online and in-person, were estimated to have watched a public memorial service for the first responders last month.