‘TRAGIC SEQUENCE OF EVENTS’

Colorado Officer Mistakenly Shot ‘Hero’ Who Stopped Cop Killer

Johnny Hurley was holding the suspect’s AR-15 when an officer shot and killed him.

In the first full accounting of a chaotic double shooting, authorities revealed that a Colorado “hero” who shot a cop-killer was himself killed by an officer’s bullet. Johnny Hurley was holding suspect Ronald Troyke’s AR-15 when an Arvada officer arrived at the scene and opened fire, killing him, police said in a report. “It is clear that the suspect bears responsibility for this tragic sequence of events,” police said. The June 21 incident began when Troyke—who left a note that vowed, “Today I will kill as many Arvada officers as I possibly can”—ambushed and murdered Officer Gordon Beesley, investigators said. As Troyke continued his rampage, he passed Hurley, who shot him dead, The Denver Post said. “A responding Arvada Police Officer then encountered Mr. Hurley, who was holding the suspect’s AR-15,” cops said. “The officer shot him.” In a video statement, Arvada police Chief Link Strate said, “We lost two heroes on June 21 and we need to respect their memories and their loved ones.”