Paul Elmstrand GoFundMe raises over $12,000 as Burnsville police officer killed in Minnesota shooting

Paul Elmstrand, a 27-year-old Burnsville police officer, was identified as one of the three law enforcement officials who were killed after a man armed with multiple guns opened fire from inside a house in Minnesota. A GoFundMe campaign was launched by his former classmate to help his family during this tough time and it has collected over $12,000 as of this writing.

On Sunday, February 18, officers responded to a domestic call after the suspect barricaded himself inside a residence with his family members, including seven children ranging from two to 15 years old, as per CBS. The unidentified suspect reportedly opened fire at the officers while they tried to negotiate with him.

Two police officers, identified as Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, both 27, were killed after the suspect shot at them from inside the house. First responder Adam Finseth, 40, was also fatally shot during the incident. Sgt. Adam Medlicott, who was injured in the shooting, is expected to survive.

CBS reported that the unidentified suspect was killed during the police stand-off and family members inside the home were able to escape unharmed.

---

Paul Elmstrand graduated from Cambridge-Isanti High School in 2015

In the wake of Paul Elmstrand's death, a GoFundMe campaign was organized by his former classmate, Maria Westra, which revealed that he graduated from Cambridge-Isanti High School in 2015.

The fundraising, which was launched to render financial assistance to Paul Elmstrand's wife Cindy, and their two children, said that the slain police officer was the 2015 class president at CIHS. The fundraiser aims to collect $15,000 and has raised $14,640 as of this writing with the help of 209 donations. The page said:

“While there are no words or actions to comfort the grief felt by many at this time, CIHS 2015 has set up a GoFundMe to help with any financial needs the Elmstrand family may have in the future. All money raised will be directly given to the family. Thank you for donating!”

According to CBS, Elmstrand, 27, joined the Burnsville Police Department in 2017 as a community service officer two years after graduating from high school. Elmstrand, who was promoted to officer in 2019, was a member of the BPD's mobile command staff, peer team, honor guard, and field training unit.

The Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, released a statement after the news came to light and spoke about the "bravery and sacrifices" of first responders. As per CBS, he said:

"Today, the families of these public servants received the call they knew was possible but hoped would never come. My heart is with those grieving families – the State of Minnesota stands ready to support in any way we can. This is a tragic loss for our state."

As the community grapples with the loss of the officials, police have yet to disclose the identity of the suspect.