Stay Alert: Scam Warning For Those Wanting To Aid Burnsville Community

THE SAFE WAY TO OFFER SUPPORT

The first responders who saved the lives of seven children inside a Burnsville home over the weekend are heroes, but the pain that their families, friends, neighbors, and fellow community members will likely live with for the rest of their lives is hard to imagine. To add even more to this tragic loss, there are now scammers setting up shop to steal funds that were intended to go to the families of these officers. Don't fall for it.

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BEWARE OF SCAMMERS

Many people don't know what they can do for the families of the officers they didn't personally know, but the appreciation we all feel for those who are brave enough to step forward to protect the innocent is sometimes tragically lost in incidents like the one they experienced this past weekend.

MAKING SAFE MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS

If you want to make sure you are donating to a credible and worthy cause, there is a way to make a monetary contribution and make sure that it is delivered directly to the families that were affected because of this tragic incident..

The Law Enforcement Labor Services Benevolent Fund, or LELS, is the ONLY contribution site that has been verified to help these families. The city of Burnsville released this message on Tuesday morning, February 20th, 2024: "This is the only contribution site we have verified on behalf of the families. Please be aware of scam fundraisers seeking to exploit this tragedy."

According to the website, the LELS fund has been created to provide support and financial assistance for families of Minnesota law enforcement, who have been seriously injured or killed in the line of duty.

REMEMBERING PAUL, MATTHEW, AND ADAM

27-year-old Police officers Paul Elmstrand and Matthew Ruge, as well as firefighter-paramedic Adam Finseth, age 40; were all shot and killed by 38-year-old Shannon Gooden when they were responding to a domestic abuse call on Sunday, according to authorities. Another officer was shot as well, Sgt. Adam Medicott of the Burnsville Police Department, but not killed in the incident.

NON-MONETARY CONTRIBUTIONS

If you are feeling the need to help in some way and have a non-monetary contribution you would like to make, you can deliver those contributions to:

Prince of Peach Church
13801 Fairview Drive
Burnsville, MN 55337

If you need more information about making a non-monetary contribution, you can call 952.435.8102.