Burnsville shooting: Medical examiner's reports released

HENNEPIN COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - A day after a deadly shooting in Burnsville took the lives of three first responders, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner has released its reports on their deaths.

Burnsville officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, along with firefighter-paramedic Adam Finseth were fatally shot when they responded to a domestic dispute call in the early hours of Feb. 18.

According to law enforcement, authorities responded to a home on the 12600 block of 33rd Avenue South at 1:50 a.m. when they encountered a man who was reported to be armed and was barricaded with his family members, which included seven children ages 2 to 15 years old. 

Ultimately, the situation "escalated," the City of Burnsville said in a press release with the man fatally firing at the officers. Around 8 a.m., authorities declared that the suspect was also dead, and the family members that were in the home were safe.

As the medical examiner's report details, all three first responders were rushed to Hennepin County Medical Center after being shot. All three were pronounced dead within minutes of each other. Officer Ruge died at 6:33 a.m. from a gunshot wound to the chest, the report states. Six minutes later, Officer Elmstrand was pronounced dead around 6:39 a.m. 

Finally, Finseth was pronounced dead at 6:46 a.m. after being shot in the right arm and torso.

Police Sgt. Adam Medlicott, who was also injured during the shooting, has since been released from the hospital.

On Monday, officials confirmed that Shannon Cortez Gooden, 38, was the gunman who opened fire on the officers. His cause of death has not yet been released. It's unclear if he was shot by officers who returned fire during Sunday's standoff, or if he turned the gun onto himself.