A public memorial can reveal the heart of a community.

There’s a lot of heart in Burnsville right now.

People have been steadily stopping by the grounds of the Burnsville Police Department and City Hall complex to leave flowers, notes and other items for the first responders who died in the line of duty in this Dakota County community.

It feels like a vigil, a public space where people are praying, crying, talking and also standing in silence in front of two flower-laden police vehicles and one ambulance, symbols of the three lives lost.

The public can continue to leave items at the memorial at 100 Civic Center Parkway in Burnsville, a spokesperson for the city told the Pioneer Press. The memorial will remain in place through Wednesday, Feb. 28, when a joint, public memorial service will be held at Grace Church in Eden Prairie.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the people stopping by to pay their respects ranged from families carrying babies to people with their dogs to law enforcement officers from other jurisdictions.

The Pioneer Press also spent time at the memorial and documented some of the items that had been left, ephemeral expressions of the public’s grief and support.

Three miles away

People gather at a memorial to three fallen Burnsville first responders outside of Burnsville City Hall on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

It was about three miles away from this memorial, just before 2 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 18, when authorities say someone in a home on the 12600 block of 133rd Avenue South called 911 regarding an alleged sexual assault.

It was a tense and developing domestic situation — and there were seven children inside the house.

The first responders who came to help would die before the sun rose on this suburban neighborhood.

Investigators say the gunman — a convicted felon banned from possessing weapons — fatally shot Burnsville police officers Matthew Ruge and Paul Elmstrand, both 27 years old, and Burnsville firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth, 40.

A fourth officer was also shot, but he has been released from the hospital and is recovering at home.

The seven children as well as the woman who called 911 were not physically injured in the gunfight. A relative says the family survived due to the actions of the first responders.

Authorities continue to investigate the incident and the assault allegations.

Flowers

A Burnsville police car is covered in flowers and tributes to three fallen Burnsville first responders outside of Burnsville City Hall on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

It’s February in Minnesota, but the flowers aren’t freezing.

With this winter’s historic and unseasonable warmth, the floral bouquets at the memorial were slowly opening and blooming in their cellophane wrappers last week. There were tulips, sunflowers, lilies, roses … so many roses. Single roses placed in the door handles of the vehicles; red roses by the dozen, wrapped in brown or white paper and adorning the hoods; bouquets of yellow roses providing some cheer; even blue roses.

In one spot, a variety of floral bouquets were lined up in a row along one side of one of the vehicles, looking as if they were standing sentry. Flowers covered the hood of the ambulance, stacked in rainbow-colored layers of stems and blooms and leaves, accessorized with cards and balloons and stuffed animals.

There was a slight, funereal scent in the air, with red rose petals scattered about in the melting snow and mingling with the dead leaves.

Every day, though, more fresh flowers arrive.

By Wednesday, the flowers had engulfed the police vehicle that was parked closest to the police department entrance; it was difficult to tell what was even underneath the flowers.

An observer might think every bloom in the Twin Cities had been placed here on Civic Center Parkway.

There’s more, though. Thanks to the local floral community, Burnsville is not running out of flowers. They are needed, says Kori Brier, regional manager for Stems & Vines Floral Boutique in Burnsville and Prior Lake.

“As a member of the public, the one thing you have control over is being able to leave flowers,” Brier said of this time. “It’s a way to say, ‘We are here for you; you are not alone.’”

Balloons

A man prays at a Burnsville Fire Department ambulance covered with tributes to three fallen Burnsville first responders at Burnsville City Hall on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

While the Burnsville, Minnesota and U.S. flags have been lowered to half-staff in front of the entrance to City Hall, balloons fluttered and bobbed in the breeze last week.

Some were patriotic, with stars and stripes. Others were gold; a few were the black of mourning, contrasting with heart-shaped balloons of pink and red.

One balloon, tied to the ambulance, was illustrated with flowers and floated around with the message, “You’re so special.”

Tissues

Handmade signs of thanks join other tributes at a memorial to three fallen Burnsville first responders at Burnsville City Hall on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

People cry here. On Wednesday, some sobbed as they hugged each other. Others wiped away tears as they stood silently in front of the vehicles. People were also crying as they walked back to their cars, past municipal signs like the one that directs people to where they can pay their sewer bill.

The sign might remind people that life goes on, even as we cry, but there is comfort here among the brokenhearted.

On Wednesday, in an apparent acknowledgement of the collective grief, someone left a box of Kleenex on the sidewalk, in the space between two of the first responders’ vehicles and near a large piece of cardboard that people were signing in a kind of makeshift guestbook.

This place could use more Kleenex.

Messages

A heart-shaped note from a child is folded into other offerings on a Burnsville Fire Department ambulance at a memorial to three fallen Burnsville first responders at Burnsville City Hall on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

What can you say when someone has died in the line of duty?

The loss is unfathomable — words are a helpless balm. But the community is sharing what is on their hearts.

There are the small handprints, dipped in blue paint and pressed onto a posterboard with the message, “Real heroes don’t wear capes, they wear badges.”

There’s a small stone placed on the front bumper of the ambulance. Etched into the rock is one word: “Courage.”

Other messages are written on greeting cards, Post-it notes and floral cards. The messages include these:

“Thank you for keeping us safe.”

“You showed up every day for us.”

“You did what was right.”

“I am so sorry that you did not make it home.”

“Thank you for helping your community.”

“Take it easy, brother. We got it from here.”

“Thank you for everything.”

“We love you.”

“Hero.”

Patches

Police department patches from around the state join flowers and hand-drawn pictures on a Burnsville police car at a memorial to three fallen Burnsville first responders outside of the Burnsville City Hall and Police Department on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Amid the flowers, attached to stuffed animals and set down on hoods are the patches from police departments, including Bloomington, Lakeville, Farmington, St. Paul, Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota, Elko …

A Minnesota State Patrol patch is set in the flowers, too. There are patches for Emergency Medical Services teams. There’s a park ranger patch.

On Thursday, as the sun shone and temperatures soared once again, a steady stream of mourners continued to visit the memorial, often 30 to 50 people at a time. There were members of the general public as well as law enforcement personnel from around the state.

Even as the sun shone, people here reflected on the darkness of fear.

In one greeting card left at the memorial, a person who described themselves as part of a police family wrote that they, too, had waited up in the night, afraid that their loved one would not make it home.

It never should happen, they wrote. Everyone should always be able to come home.

Three crosses

Three crosses bear messages from mourners at a memorial to three fallen Burnsville first responders at Burnsville City Hall on Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

A big draw at the memorial are three white wooden crosses, 40 inches tall and designed with blue hearts that incorporate the Christian fish symbol as well as blue lines representing police and a red line for fire.

Set near the flagpoles outside of City Hall in a sitting area, the crosses include the names of the men who died and their ‘End of Watch’ dates, along with a Bible verse, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). There are also pens available, inviting people to write messages.

The niche resembles an official memorial but, as with the flowers and stuffed animals, these heart crosses just showed up.

In fact, the crosses are part of the Hearts of Mercy & Compassion ministry of Lutheran Church Charities (LCC).The faith-based nonprofit, based in Illinois, also has K-9 and disaster response ministries.

The organization’s local partnerships with St. Michael’s Lutheran Church of Bloomington and Gideon with K-9 Comfort Dogs helped make the heart crosses — and comfort — happen at the memorial.

“It was only a matter of minutes after Gideon’s Comfort Dog Ministry team finished setting them up that people were gathering to take photos, and coming forward to sign the hearts,” LCC K-9 Comfort Dogs wrote in a Facebook post. “The handlers and Gideon Comfort Dog were able to stay until about 4pm and each team member there (Dianne, Laurel, Cyndi, Andrea and Pam) had a special ministry moment with someone.

“Lots and lots of tears from those visiting the memorial. The grief is so raw they just are not able to hold it back. Many still have the look of shock in their eyes, as if their minds cannot allow comprehension of what has happened. Quite a few shared with the handlers that they are praying for all the families.”

Sadly, these crosses — founded by Greg Zanis as Crosses for Losses — got their start with the mass shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999. They were also given to Uvalde, Texas, to represent those who died in the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School in 2022. But the crosses also are used in places like assisted living facilities and for celebrations, anniversaries and other occasions of joy.

In this case, though, the three crosses are meant to comfort.

“It’s a way to be a spiritual and physical symbol of hope amidst tragedy,” said the Rev. Chris Singer, president and CEO of Lutheran Church Charities.

People left more flowers at the crosses, as well as notes, stuffed animals and one heart necklace. There were prayers said, too, as people bowed their heads.

A public memorial where the community can come together is important, Singer says: It is a place of light and hope in a dark time.

“There’s so much fear after something like this happens, and I’m so sorry it happened — we are praying for your community,” Singer said. “But to gather together like this is what instills hope and renewal and recovery.”

How to help

Minnesota public safety organizations are partnering to collect financial donations for the families of the Burnsville first responders who died in the line of duty. Info/donate at lels.org/benevolent-fund.

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.

In addition, visit the Front Line Foundation at thefrontlinemn.org and the Minnesota 100 Club at mn100club.org to read about the work these local nonprofits are doing to help Minnesota law enforcement and their families.

Related Articles

Killings of Burnsville first responders happened at time of increased assaults on law enforcement

Wife of slain Burnsville police officer releases statement as convoys flood the streets Saturday

Annual police vs. firefighters charity hockey game will benefit Burnsville’s fallen first responders

Burnsville man fired more than 100 rifle rounds in incident that killed 2 officers, firefighter, BCA says

Public memorial service for 3 fallen Burnsville first responders to be held Feb. 28