Families of two fallen Burnsville officers add their names to memorial flag

Mara H. Gottfried, Pioneer Press
·4 min read
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On a flag that bears that words “Blessed Are The Peacemakers,” the families of two fallen Burnsville police officers added ribbons with their names on Wednesday.

One blue ribbon reads “Paul Elmstrand” and the other “Matthew Ruge.” They joined the ribbons of other officers who’ve died in the line of duty and are displayed atop the Minnesota Law Enforcement Memorial Association (LEMA) flag.

A gunman killed the officers, who were both 27, and Burnsville firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth, 40, in February.

Wednesday was Peace Officers Memorial Day, with people gathering in remembrance of the 306 Minnesota officers who have died in the line of duty since 1874.

“We remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice, we hold them up as heroes because that’s what they are,” said Pastor Kellie Walia, a LEMA chaplain, at a ceremony on the Minnesota Capitol grounds.

A ribbon for Pope County sheriff’s deputy Josh Owen, who was shot in the line of duty in April 2023, was also added to the LEMA flag Wednesday.

“The reason for being here will not be forgotten,” said Gov. Tim Walz. “This year, it’s especially poignant because of what we’ve seen over the last few months with the loss of deputy Owen, officers Elmstrand and Ruge. … We know that these are becoming tragically too often.”

Meant the world to families

The men were fathers, brothers, sons and husbands — “the world to their family and their communities,” Walz said.

Elmstrand’s widow, Cindy Elmstrand-Castruita, placed a ribbon with her husband’s name atop the memorial flag. The high school sweethearts had two children, a boy now 8 months old and a girl who is nearly 2½ years old.

Ruge’s only sibling, Hannah, added Matt’s ribbon with their parents, Christi Henke and Sean Ruge, by her side.

Related: As Police Week begins, pride mingles with grief over fallen Burnsville officers

“For our families here today, I hope you continue to feel the thanks and support not only from the public, but from those who have served” and “continue to remember your loved one,” said Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson.

Last year, 52 law enforcement officers in Minnesota sustained significant or major injuries in the line of duty, according to Jacobson.

Owen, who responded to a domestic violence call, and the Burnsville officers “were trying to protect victims” when they were killed, Jacobson said.

On Feb. 18 at about 1:50 a.m., Burnsville officers were dispatched to a home about an alleged sexual assault, according to the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Officers went inside and negotiated with 38-year-old Shannon Gooden for about 3½ hours, trying to get him to surrender peacefully. Gooden, who’d barricaded himself in the home with seven children from his family, said he was unarmed, but he opened fire without warning, officials have said.

A time of remembrance

Law enforcement officers from around the state took turns standing in silent vigil at the Peace Officers Memorial for 25 hours beginning Tuesday and until the ceremony Wednesday evening. They stand at attention “to maintain our commitment that our fallen officers will never be forgotten, and to signify that we will continue to watch,” said Brian Hubbard, LEMA president.

“Native American Indian lore states that when the name of a fallen warrior is spoken aloud, their legend shall never be forgotten,” Hubbard said. In that spirit, each peace officer standing guard at the memorial is given a name of a fallen Minnesota officer to think about and, when another officer takes over for them, they say a name aloud and toll a bell once.

LEMA also adds the names of officers to the flag who died in previous years — whose names weren’t previously included — as more about their cases are learned or as they come to light through historical research, Hubbard said.

This year, also added to the flag were the names of Minneapolis Park Police officers George Hazelquist and Theodore Chresand, who each died of heart attacks while on duty, in 1938 and 1977, respectively. Chresand’s son added his father’s ribbon.

The widow of Ramsey County sheriff’s deputy Brandon Berg, whose 2022 death was PTSD-related, placed a ribbon with his name atop the flag.

The wife and two children of South St. Paul police Sgt. Cory Slifko added a ribbon with his name; the 43-year-old died of PTSD-related suicide in 2019.

Jacobson raised concerns about officers suffering “from the traumas of their work” who “tragically saw their only solution” as taking their own life. In the last few weeks, two officers have died by suicide in Minnesota, he said.

“Let our response to this today also be to help our brothers and sisters to include those who are suffering, oftentimes silently,” Jacobson said. Hubbard urged officers to reach out if they need help.

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