Cindy Elmstrand-Castruita is the widowed wife of Burnsville Police Officer Paul Elmstrand, one of three first responders murdered in a domestic situation-turned-gunfight on Sunday, February 18. She’s now spoken out about her husband, describing to the media how he was a “hero” who always rushed toward the sound of danger to help those in need.
As background, Officer Elmstrand was shot to death on Sunday alongside a fellow police officer, Matthew Ruge, and a firefighter-paramedic, Adam Finseth. Law enforcement and other first responders had responded to a domestic call where a gunman had barricaded himself inside a house with his family, including numerous children. He was eventually killed as well, and the family members were rescued.
In any case, speaking to CBS News, Mrs. Elmstrand-Castruita said that she woke up on Sunday morning at about 7:30 and found out that her husband had died when she saw a text from a friend in which that friend expressed remorse and sympathy for his death. When he was murdered, he left behind not only his wife of five years, but a two-year-old child and a five-month-old child.
Continuing, she said that as she tried to gather her thoughts and figure out if the nightmare was real, she looked out her window and saw a squad car sitting out front. When she saw it, she knew what had happened. She said, speaking to CBS News about the moment, “I looked out my bedroom window and saw a squad car out there. I knew. That’s when I knew he was gone.”
She then spoke about his wonderful qualities, particularly his willingness to always help those in need. She said, “He was the most generous, loving, patient person I’ve ever known. He could have a conversation with anyone and make them feel seen. He would drop everything to help someone who was in need, whether it be family, friend or someone on the street.”
Elmstrand-Castruita also noted that he was able to keep the horrors he saw during his work hours away from the family and his home life, never complaining at home about the sickening situations he encountered as a police officer. She said, “He was a very levelheaded person. He loved his job. He saw horrible things but never once did he say, would he come home complaining.”
She then turned to the situation in which her husband was murdered, saying that he had to try to protect the children held by the gunman. In her words, “I think he just had to be the hero. He had to do what he thought was right to protect those little lives even if it meant putting his at risk, and it breaks my heart because now he’s gone. But I know that he thought what he did was right.”
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Featured image credit: City of Burnsville