Star Tribune
Sgt. Adam Medlicott, wounded during standoff, remembers fallen Burnsville comrades at memorial
Burnsville Sgt. Adam Medlicott, who was injured in the line of duty by the gunman who killed three of his colleagues, remembered fellow first responders for their bravery in a speech at the Eden Prairie memorial service Wednesday, his first public comments since the attack.
Burnsville officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, both 27, and firefighter/paramedic Adam Finseth, 40 died Feb. 18 after an hours-long standoff. Medlicott, who was shot, was released from the hospital on Feb. 19.
He supervised Elmstrand and Ruge on nights and was standing with them on their final call, Medlicott told the packed auditorium at Grace Church in Eden Prarie.
He was one of Elmstrand’s field training officers and said he quickly realized how smart and thoughtful he was. Elmstrand would often enter Medlicott’s office uninvited, making himself at home and asking questions. He was considering applying for an open sergeant position. Elmstrand would have made an excellent sergeant, Medlicott told the Burnsville chief in the audience.
“I’ll miss our midnight talks, Paul,” he said.
Just after Ruge finished field training, he and Medlicott were dispatched to a woman set to start addiction treatment who was refusing to leave. Ruge and another young officer worked through the call, and it was a disaster, Medlicott recalled.
“After the call, Matt walked up to me and said, ‘Thanks, Adam. Man, I really effed that one up.’ Like any other cop, ‘I told him, Yeah, you really did.'”
He also told Ruge he was young and new to the profession. He would learn and grow and get better.
“I was standing next to him on his last call. But now it was Matt who was doing all of the talking. I believed in him as a crisis negotiator, and everyone here should know, he was doing an amazing job of it. You can’t reason with evil,” Medlicott said. “You didn’t eff this one up, Matt.”
While Medlicott did not know Finseth well, he said he would be forever thankful for him.
“I saw you run into the line of fire to save me and my guys. You’re the bravest person I’ve ever known.” he said. “Rest easy, brothers.”
After returning to the church from the march, attendees took turns placing their signs with the names of people who died at the altar with hundreds of candles. They listened while speakers including Rev. DeWayne Davis, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, Simpson program manager Mary Gallini and others. Gov. Tim Walz did not attend, but Flanagan attended on his behalf to present an official proclamation of Dec. 12 being known as “Minnesota Homeless Memorial Day.”
Some speakers such as Cathy ten Broeke, assistant commissioner of the Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness, said they hope the memorial won’t be necessary in the future if there is work done to end homelessness.
“They are all of our relatives, and I hope that we recommit ourselves tonight to the work to ensure that we no longer have to have a memorial service remembering any one of our relatives experiencing homelessness when they die,” she said.
Star Tribune
Austin Navarro of Albert Lea sentenced to 25 years in prison for murder of 2-year-old child
An Albert Lea man was sentenced Wednesday to 25 years in prison for murder of a 2-year-old boy.
Austin Michael Navarro, 26, also received a concurrent 32-month sentence for physically assaulting his 12-week-old son.
Navarro pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and third-degree assault charges in Freeborn County District Court on Sept.18.
He assaulted the two children while they were under his care on July 6, 2023, prosecutors said.
Navarro admitted in a plea hearing that he punched and kicked both children multiple times.
The 2-year-old was the child of his then-girlfriend. The toddler died after sustaining grievous wounds, including broken ribs, a lacerated liver and a traumatic brain injury.
The 12-week-old infant survived the assault but sustained several injuries to his head and body, including fractured ribs.
“My heart goes out Austin Navarro’s victims, as well as their families. While nothing can undo the pain Navarro caused, I hope that Navarro’s conviction is able to bring them some measure of solace,” Attorney General Keith Ellison said in a statement Thursday.
Nine votes were needed to override Frey’s veto, but the vote was 7-6 in favor — not enough to overturn the resolution, which expressed solidarity with “nonviolent campus activism opposing war and supporting Palestinian human rights.”
The university has disputed that the protest at Morrill Hall was nonviolent, saying protesters spray-painted security cameras, broke interior windows and barricaded exits, trapping staffers for “an extended period of time.” University police and Hennepin County sheriff’s deputies arrested 11 protesters.
The university said the protesters caused over $67,000 in damage to doorways, walls and flooring; violated multiple university polices; and caused emotional harm to employees as they piled up furniture and copy machines to prevent workers from leaving.
The vote to override was supported by Council Members Robin Wonsley, Jason Chavez, Aurin Chowdhury, Jeremiah Ellison and Jamal Osman, as well as Council President Elliott Payne and Council Vice President Aisha Chughtai.
Those voting to sustain the veto were Council Members Michael Rainville, LaTrisha Vetaw, Katie Cashman, Emily Koski, Andrea Jenkins and Linea Palmisano.
That’s the same breakdown as the original 7-5 vote to approve the resolution, except that Jenkins was absent.
