BURNSVILLE, Minn. — People have been traveling from across the region to pay tribute to three first responders who were shot and killed in Burnsville, but many don't have to look far for a reason why.
"My son is a Shakopee police officer, so these sort of tragedies in our community really hit close to home," said Kate McCarten, adding that her son is also just one year younger than fallen Burnsville Police officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge.
"They all feel so young," McCarten said. "They put their life on the line every day, and I'm sure every day they go to work expecting to come home, knowing there is a possibility that they won't."
"They run into danger when everybody is running out, and when we call, they come as fast as they can," said Raphael Harden, who drove from Richfield to hand deliver flowers.
Harden arrived at the memorial just as a large gathering of Burnsville officers and their families gathered outside to see the memorial and remember their fellow officers.
"Thank you for your family's service," Harden said, approaching some of the officers. "We appreciate everything you guys do."
It's not the first time Harden has shown her appreciation. She also helped line the procession route for the fallen officers on Sunday and says she visited several memorials for the 11 officers and first responders killed in the line of duty across Minnesota and neighboring regions in the last year.
"It's too many," Harden said. "And it's like we shouldn't be here. This (memorial) shouldn't be here."
Before this, local EMT's couldn't fathom being here.
"We are covering another city's territory while that city cover's Burnsville to help out," said Arriel Davis, and EMT for M Health Fairview who stopped to deliver flowers before her shift on Monday. "It's all hands on deck. They need time. Burnsville needs time and we're going to give them as much resources as we can."
Davis didn't personally know Adam Finseth, the fire department paramedic who was killed during the shootout on Sunday, but she says the loss is still personal.
"It's really close to home," Davis said. "It's people that do what we do, and it's people we interact with on a daily basis. Until it actually happens it's like, it could happen... this could happen at any time. It's so sad."
But that sadness won't stop her – or anyone else here – from offering their support.
"I'm so proud of my son, so I can't let that get in the way of the good that he's trying to do," McCarten said. "I'm just so proud of him. I went to bed last night thinking, there's a mom just like me who went to bed last night without her son, so my heart goes out to them."
One Lakeville resident says she stopped by because the department helped her husband on Labor Day last year.
"My husband had a sudden heart attack and just the kindness of the policemen and the paramedic, it was unbelievable, and I just wanted to come and pay my respects to these gentlemen," she said. "I can’t even imagine, and as a new widow myself, my heart just goes out to these women, to the young children to the families."
"I just wanted to bring my daughter out and kind of pay our respects," Eagan resident Luke Fiori added. "It’s a tough thing to explain, that’s for sure."
Among the visitors were several certified support dogs, including Chekhov the Siberian Husky.
"We’re a crisis response team that are registered by an organization called Pet Partners, and I just felt compelled to come down here," said Bill Lozito, Chekhov's handler. "People are naturally drawn to him because of his beauty, but more importantly he’s got a wonderful disposition. You can see how gentle he his … The goal is to encounter as many people as possible and comfort them."
They all hope their show of love and support also hits close to home.
"They appreciate it, I know they do," Davis said. "Thank you."