Hero who killed gunman fatally shot by responding officers [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Police announced that Johnny Hurley, the man who shot gunman Ronald Troyke, was fatally shot by officers.
• Troyke shot veteran police officer Gordon Beesley at Arvada’s Olde Town Square downtown district and was confronted by Hurley.
• Hurley has been hailed as a hero by the police and the public.

Police confirmed that the man who shot the gunman who killed a Colorado police officer had been fatally shot by a responding police officer.

The man, Johnny Hurley, who was hailed by the police as a “hero,” was shot after he was seen holding the rifle of suspect Ronald Troyke, who killed Arvada Police officer Gordon Beesley on Monday.

Hurley confronted Troyke after the latter shot the veteran police officer; he was able to get the gun and shoot Troyke himself. Unfortunately, Hurley was also shot by a responding cop who arrived at the scene.

In a video statement, Arvada Police Chief Link Strate said that “Johnny’s actions can only be described as decisive, courageous, and effective at stopping further loss of life.”

“It is clear that Mr. Hurley intervened in an active shooting that unfolded quickly in a busy commercial area in the middle of the day, and he did so without hesitation,” Strate added.

The police issued official statements about the shooting spree, which resulted in three fatalities.

According to the police report, Troyke’s brother called the police around 1 pm local time Monday, requesting for a welfare check for his brother since he was worried that he may “do something crazy.”

Beesley, alongside another officer, responded to the call but was not able to reach Troyke in his home. Shortly, Beesley went to Arvada’s Olde Town Square downtown district following a report of a suspicious individual.

When the two met, Troyke, who parked his truck, came out with the shotgun and ran towards Beesley, shooting the officer twice. Beesley was not able to fire back, the police said.

Troyke then shot the windows of several patrol cars and shortly returned to his truck to get another gun. When he came back to the square, he was confronted by Hurley who then shot him using a handgun, per the police statement.

Afterwards, a responding officer saw Hurley and shot him, upon seeing that he was holding Troyke’s rifle.

According to investigators, a handwritten note was found in Troyke’s belongings that said: “My goal today is to kill Arvada PD officers.”

“This is what you get, you are the people who are expendable,” the note allegedly wrote, and also “hundreds of you pigs should be killed daily.”

On Saturday, community residents in Olde Town Arvada held a vigil to honor Hurley.

“In that moment, he just springs up without question, and he is just the hero,” one of Hurley’s friends said during the gathering.

Source: YAHOO News