Police Confirm Colorado Shooting Hero Was Shot by Officer
The man who took down the Colorado shooter who had killed a police officer on Monday was killed by another police officer, the Arvada Police Department announced Friday.
Arvada Police Officer Gordon Beesley was killed Monday by Ronald Troyke, who was then shot by Johnny Hurley, a civilian who was armed with a handgun during the confrontation, authorities said.
Police said that after the shooting, Hurley had picked up a rifle used by Troyke, and was then shot dead by an Arvada police officer who saw him holding the weapon.
Also on Friday, police released comments from Troyke indicating he planned the shooting.
According to the department’s Facebook page, the incident began about 1:30 p.m. Beesley, who had been looking for Troyke in response to concerns from Troyke’s brother, was near Olde Town Square in Arvada.
As the police officer walked through an alley, Troyke pulled into the area in his truck., parked, took out a 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun, and followed Beesley, the Facebook posting states.
Troyke yelled at Beesley, who turned and was shot twice, without taking any defensive action or reaching to his gun.
Troyke then shot out the windows of patrol cars in the area, ran back to his truck and took out an AR-15.
As Troyke reached the square, Hurley, armed with a handgun, confronted him and then shot him.
“A responding Arvada Police Officer then encountered Mr. Hurley, who was holding the suspect’s AR-15. The officer shot him,” the department’s statement said.
“Arvada PD views Mr. Hurley’s actions as heroic; it is clear that he intervened in an active shooting that unfolded quickly in a busy commercial area in the middle of the day, and that he did so without hesitation. Mr. Hurley’s actions certainly saved others from serious injury or death,” the Arvada police Facebook post said.
“Finally, it is clear that the suspect bears responsibility for this tragic sequence of events,” the statement said.
Police also released a surveillance video that shows part of what took place.
Hurley’s family released a statement through the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office, according to KMGH-TV.
“Our beloved son and brother Johnny is no more. We loved him dearly. May he rest in peace. Before Johnny engaged in a clear-eyed response to a dire situation, he was already a wonderful human being with a great enthusiasm for life. Johnny had an inquiring mind, independent spirit, and strong principles, though he was beholden to no single cause or belief. He called out injustice when he saw it. He brought joy to many people and looked for the good in others. Moving forward without Johnny feels impossible. We are so proud of him,” the statement said.
“We are deeply moved by the outpouring of love from the community and are grateful for the support of the Arvada Police Department and their partners. We don’t yet have all of the information about what happened to Johnny, and we look forward to learning the outcome of a thorough and independent investigation,” the statement said, adding that it was asking “that there not be speculation in the media while the facts are being determined. It helps no one. We ask that our privacy be respected while our grief is still so fresh.”
Sources confirm to #9News that Johnny Hurley, the Good Samaritan killed in Arvada shooting, was shot by police. https://t.co/GovTjPC5mj
— Kyle Clark (@KyleClark) June 24, 2021
The police Facebook page said police uncovered documents from Troyke that made comments including, “My goal today is to kill Arvada PD officers,” “Hundreds of you pigs should be killed daily,” “Today I will kill as many Arvada officers as I possibly can,” and “I just hope I don’t die without killing any of you pigs.”
The document went on “to express that this is his way of holding law enforcement accountable,” the Facebook post said.
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