A "hero" that shot a gunman was himself shot dead by police in a tragic misunderstanding on Monday (June 21).

Per the HuffPost, gunman Ronald Troyke, 59, had ambushed Arvada Police Officer Gordon Beesley in a Denver suburb on Monday.

Per a timeline and edited video released by police, Officer Beesley had been responding to a report of a suspicious person, when Troyke pulled up next to the cop's patrol car in his truck.

Footage shows Troyke - who police say had previously expressed hatred for cops - running toward Officer Beesley down an alley. Troyke then raised his firearm and fatally shot the officer as two people stood nearby.

"We lost two heroes on June 21st..."

Per police narration of apparent surveillance footage, Troyke then grabbed an AR-15 rifle from his truck, when he was confronted by Johnny Hurley.

Hurley, 40, then fatally shot Troyke with his handgun.

However, when police arrived, Hurley was reportedly holding Troyke's AR-15, and officers mistook him for the slain suspect. An officer then opened fire and killed Hurley - which the footage does not reportedly show.

Police Chief Link Strate has since hailed Hurley as a "hero" who actions "can only be described as decisive, courageous and effective in stopping further loss of life".

Strate added that Hurley's death was "equally tragic" to Beesley’s killing.

The officer who shot Hurley has remained unnamed, but is currently under investigation by a team from Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office. The investigation will determine whether or not the officer was justified in using deadly force.

The unnamed officer has been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.

In another statement, the Arvada Police Department added: "Finally, it is clear that the suspect bears responsibility for this tragic sequence of events."

Per Reuters, police have also released excerpts from a four-page handwritten manifesto penned by Troyke in which he vowed to kill as many police officers as he could. The manifesto was found in his apartment, and one excerpt reportedly reads:

"I just hope I don’t die without killing any of you pigs."

"We the people were never your enemy, but we are now," another excerpt read.

Forty minutes prior to the shootings, Troyke’s brother called the police and asked officers to check on him, fearing he would "do something crazy". Police have confirmed that both Beesley and another officer called in at Troyke's home near downtown Denver, but were unable to locate him.

Beesley then responded to a call from a teenager reporting a suspicious person.

Hurley's family has since issued a statement on Friday night (June 25), thanks the city and the police for their support. The family adds that they are waiting for the outcome of the investigation.

Speaking to Denver news station KMGH-TV, witness Bill Troyanos spoke about Hurley's actions, saying: "He did not hesitate; he didn’t stand there and think about it. He totally heard the gunfire, went to the door, saw the shooter and immediately ran in that direction."

A GoFundMe has since been set up for Hurley's family, which has raised over $55,000 as of this writing.

Featured image credit: @ArvadaPolice

Over Friday (June 12), the US was rocked by the death of 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks, who was killed after being shot by police officers in Atlanta while attempting to flee an arrest.

Per an official press release from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, APD officers Garrett Rolfe and Devin Bronsan were responding to a complaint that Brooks has fallen asleep in his vehicle in a Wendy's drive-thru, "causing other customers to drive around the vehicle."

It is then reported that after Brooks failed a field sobriety test, the officers "attempted to place the male subject into custody". However, Brooks resisted and attempted to flee. A struggle between the three individuals then ensued.

Bodycam footage of Brooks' arrest can be seen below (Warning - some people will find the video distressing):

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The GBI states that, during the struggle, "Brooks obtained one of the officer's Tasers and began to flee from the scene.

"Officers pursued Brooks on foot and during the chase, Brooks turned and pointed the Taser at the officer. The officer fired his weapon, striking Brooks."

Brooks' death sparked a fresh wave of protests in the city and across the US, with many stating that his killing was an injustice.

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However, Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo Williams - who has taught thousands of police officers about the use of force over his career spanning decades in Georgia - has spoken out about the incident, calling it a "justified shooting".

Williams' full interview with CNN can be seen below:

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Speaking to told CNN in an interview last night, Williams broke down the footage from the shooting, saying:

"We saw in the video that Brooks is engaged in a fight with the officers

"They were on the ground and we know that when we’re on the ground we have a very high likelihood of being hurt or killed. This is not the place we want to be. This is not a wrestling match.

"Brooks is able to take a nonlethal weapon, a Taser, away from one of the officers, and he flees.

"They give chase. He’s committed two felonies to obstruction of an officer counts and he needs to be held accountable. So they were perfectly justified in running behind Brooks to capture him. Brooks turned back to the officers and fired the Taser."

Williams then explained the effects a taser has on the body, and stated that he believes the shooting was "justified". He added:

"If an officer is hit with that Taser, all of his muscles will be locked up, and he’ll have the inability to move and to respond, and yet he is still responsible for every weapon on his belt.

"If that officer is hit he still has the firearm on his side and the likelihood of him being stomped in the head or having his firearm taken was a probability and he did what he needed to do.

"This was a completely justified shooting."

The County Sheriff then added that he is disappointed that officer Garrett Rolfe was fired and not supported by the community, and said that his "political" firing sends the wrong message to "black youths".

Williams said: "It’s political. It’s senseless and we’re sending the wrong message to our black youth.

"We’re telling them that it’s OK to run from the police, take a weapon from the police, they can fight with the police, they can point a weapon at police and expect nothing to happen."

On Sunday, an autopsy listed Brooks' cause of death as gunshot wounds to the back and the manner of death has been listed as homicide.

The report adds that Brooks died from organ damage and blood loss from the two gunshot wounds, CNN reports.

Over the weekend it was revealed that one APD officer had been fired and another has been reassigned following the shooting.

The fired officer under investigation has been identified as Garrett Rolfe, who had been with the Atlanta Police Department since 2013, WSB-TV of Atlanta reports. The Daily Mail states that Rolfe is the officer that opened fire and fatally shot Brooks.

A police spokesperson has also identified the second officer as Devin Bronsan, who has since been placed on administrative duty. The Associated Press states that Bronsan has been with the department since 2018.

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CNN reports that the Fulton County District Attorney has criticized the officers' handling of Brooks' fatal shooting and said that a decision on whether to bring charges should come around Wednesday.

"[Brooks] did not seem to present any kind of threat to anyone, and so the fact that it would escalate to his death just seems unreasonable," DA Paul Howard told CNN's Fredricka Whitfield on Sunday. He added:

"It just seems like this is not the kind of conversation and incident that should have led to someone's death."

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Brooks' death has resulted in fresh outbreaks of protests and violence in the Atlanta area.

On Saturday night, the Wendy's restaurant where the shooting took place was torched by protesters.

Footage of the engulfed Wendy's can be seen below:

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Rayshard Brooks' sister-in-law, Crystal Brooks, was one of those gathered outside the Wendy's restaurant on Saturday night. She told local news crews:

"He wasn’t causing anyone any harm. The police went up to the car and even though the car was parked they pulled him out of the car and started tussling with him."

Per Fox News, L. Chris Stewart, the attorney for Brooks' family, has said that the officer who shot the 27-year-old should be charged for "an unjustified use of deadly force, which equals murder". Stewart added:

"You can’t have it both ways in law enforcement. You can’t say a Taser is a nonlethal weapon [...] but when an African American grabs it and runs with it, now it’s some kind of deadly, lethal weapon that calls for you to unload on somebody."

On Saturday, Atlanta police chief Erika Shields handed in her resignation as a result of the incident, BBC News reports.

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Sheild's resignation was announced by Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

Bottoms said in a statement:

"Because of her desire that Atlanta be a model of what meaningful reform should look like across this country, Chief Shields has offered to immediately step aside as police chief so that the city may move forward with urgency and rebuilding the trust so desperately needed throughout our communities."

Shields was appointed the Atlanta police chief in December of 2016. Prior to this, she had served a long career in the force.

Interim Corrections Chief Rodney Bryant will be serving as interim police chief until a permanent replacement is appointed.

The fired Atlanta police officer who fatally shot 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks on Friday (June 12) has been charged with felony murder, a prosecutor confirmed on Wednesday.

Brooks was killed after being shot by an APD officer while attempting to flee an arrest.

Per an official press release from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, APD officers Garrett Rolfe and Devin Bronsan were responding to a complaint that Brooks has fallen asleep in his vehicle in a Wendy's drive-thru, "causing other customers to drive around the vehicle."

It is then reported that after Brooks failed a field sobriety test, the officers "attempted to place the male subject into custody". However, Brooks resisted and attempted to flee. A struggle between the three individuals then ensued.

Bodycam footage of Brooks' arrest can be seen below (Warning - some people will find the video distressing):

[[youtubewidget||https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KT01znN_PiU]]

The GBI states that, during the struggle, "Brooks obtained one of the officer's Tasers and began to flee from the scene.

"Officers pursued Brooks on foot and during the chase, Brooks turned and pointed the Taser at the officer. The officer fired his weapon, striking Brooks."

Per The Guardian, Brooks was 18ft 3" away when Rolfe opened fire.

Over the weekend, 27-year-old Garrett Rolfe - who unloaded the fatal shots - was fired from the Atlanta Police Department over the incident. Per WSB-TV of Atlanta, Rolfe had worked in the department since 2013.

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On Sunday, an autopsy listed Brooks' cause of death as gunshot wounds to the back and the manner of death has been listed as homicide.

The report added that Brooks died from organ damage and blood loss from the two gunshot wounds, CNN reports.

The Guardian also reports that the Rolfe kicked Brooks when he was on the ground and offered no medical treatment as he lay dying.

In total, Rolfe is facing 11 charges, after prosecutors announced that Brooks posed no threat when he was gunned down. If he is convicted of murder, Rolfe could face life in prison or the death penalty.

Rolfe's charges were announced by District Attorney Paul Howard, who announced at the eagerly-awaited press conference:

"We have concluded at the time Mr Brooks was shot that he did not pose an immediate threat of death or serious physical injury to the officer or officers."

Of Rolfe's 11 charges, six relate specifically to his interactions with Brooks. Per CNN, they are listed as follows:

• Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon linked to Brooks' death. The offense carries a possible sentence of 1 to 20 years.
• Aggravated assault for kicking Brooks. Rolfe was wearing a shoe "which, when used offensively against a person, is likely to or actually does result in serious bodily injury," an arrest warrant said. The offense carries a sentence of 1 to 20 years.
• Four counts of violation of oath by a public officer - a felony offense under Georgia law. Each offense carries a sentence of 1 to 5 years.

Rolfe's additional charges are linked to the third missed shot he fired at Brooks, of which the bullet hit an occupied vehicle in the Wendy's parking lot. They are as follows:

• Three aggravated assault charges related to the three people who were inside the vehicle.
• One count of criminal damage of property in the first degree for damaging the vehicle "in a manner so as to endanger human life by shooting it with a handgun".

The other officer at the scene, Devin Bronsan, has been reassigned following the shooting.

Bronsan, 26, is also facing several charges against him for his actions during the incident.

Prosecutors have said that Bronsan - who has been with the department since 2018 - is facing an aggravated assault charge for standing or stepping on Brooks' shoulder while he was lying on the ground, which carries a sentence of 1 to 20 years.

Brosnan was also charged with two violations of oath of office, prosecutors said.

DA Howard announced that Bronsan violated the police department policy when he stood on Brooks after the victim was shot, stating that it was an "unauthorized weaponless control technique which the city of Atlanta prohibits."

The other violation is in regard to failing to render timely medical aid to Brooks.

Following the charges, Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said that morale within the police department had been "down ten-fold".

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In an interview with CNN on Wednesday night, Bottoms said: "We expect our officers will keep their commitment to our communities" amid reports that officers had been calling in sick

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Despite the charges, Burke County Sheriff Alfonzo Williams - who has taught thousands of police officers about the use of force over his career spanning decades in Georgia - has spoken out about the incident, calling it a "justified shooting".

Speaking to told CNN in an interview on Tuesday, Williams broke down the footage from the shooting, saying:

"We saw in the video that Brooks is engaged in a fight with the officers

"They were on the ground and we know that when we’re on the ground we have a very high likelihood of being hurt or killed. This is not the place we want to be. This is not a wrestling match.

"Brooks is able to take a nonlethal weapon, a Taser, away from one of the officers, and he flees.

"They give chase. He’s committed two felonies to obstruction of an officer counts and he needs to be held accountable. So they were perfectly justified in running behind Brooks to capture him. Brooks turned back to the officers and fired the Taser."

Williams' full interview with CNN can be seen below:

[[youtubewidget||https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYXFhbUKElc]]

Williams then explained the effects a taser has on the body, and stated that he believes the shooting was "justified". He added:

"If an officer is hit with that Taser, all of his muscles will be locked up, and he’ll have the inability to move and to respond, and yet he is still responsible for every weapon on his belt.

"If that officer is hit he still has the firearm on his side and the likelihood of him being stomped in the head or having his firearm taken was a probability and he did what he needed to do.

"This was a completely justified shooting."

The County Sheriff then added that he is disappointed that officer Garrett Rolfe was fired and not supported by the community, and said that his "political" firing sends the wrong message to "black youths".

Williams said: "It’s political. It’s senseless and we’re sending the wrong message to our black youth.

"We’re telling them that it’s OK to run from the police, take a weapon from the police, they can fight with the police, they can point a weapon at police and expect nothing to happen."

[[imagecaption|| Credit: PA Images]]

Brooks' death has resulted in fresh outbreaks of protests and violence in the Atlanta area.

On Saturday night, the Wendy's restaurant where the shooting took place was torched by protesters.

Footage of the engulfed Wendy's can be seen below:

[[jwplayerwidget||https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/8cV6zKyX-dkXnENEs.mp4||8cV6zKyX]]

Rayshard Brooks' sister-in-law, Crystal Brooks, was one of those gathered outside the Wendy's restaurant on Saturday night. She told local news crews:

"He wasn’t causing anyone any harm. The police went up to the car and even though the car was parked they pulled him out of the car and started tussling with him."

Per Fox News, L. Chris Stewart, the attorney for Brooks' family, has said that the officer who shot the 27-year-old should be charged for "an unjustified use of deadly force, which equals murder". Stewart added:

"You can’t have it both ways in law enforcement. You can’t say a Taser is a nonlethal weapon [...] but when an African American grabs it and runs with it, now it’s some kind of deadly, lethal weapon that calls for you to unload on somebody."

On Saturday, Atlanta police chief Erika Shields handed in her resignation as a result of the incident, BBC News reports.

[[imagecaption|| Credit: PA Images]]

Sheild's resignation was announced by Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

Bottoms said in a statement:

"Because of her desire that Atlanta be a model of what meaningful reform should look like across this country, Chief Shields has offered to immediately step aside as police chief so that the city may move forward with urgency and rebuilding the trust so desperately needed throughout our communities."

Shields was appointed the Atlanta police chief in December of 2016. Prior to this, she had served a long career in the force.

Interim Corrections Chief Rodney Bryant will be serving as interim police chief until a permanent replacement is appointed.

Footage of the moment Daunte Wright was fatally shot has been released by police.

The video, which is just over a minute long, was recorded on the body cam worn by Kim Potter – the cop who killed Wright.

In the clip, two police officers can be seen approaching Wright's vehicle, with Potter standing behind them. As one officer attempts to handcuff him, the 20-year-old manages to break free and jumps back into the driver's seat of the car to try and flee the scene.

During the struggle, Potter can be seen pulling out her firearm and shouting "Taser! Taser! Taser!" before firing a single gunshot.

Warning: some readers may find the footage upsetting

Despite the gunshot wound, Wright manages to drive away, while the officer who shot him can be heard saying: "Holy s**t, I just shot him". Fatally injured by the shot, he crashes his car just a few streets away.

The footage was played during a news conference on Monday, April 12.

Brooklyn Center police in Minnesota are insisting that the fatal shooting of the 20-year-old on Sunday (April 11) was an accident, per the BBC. They say the officer had intended to fire her taser in order to prevent Wright from escaping - rather than her gun.

"It is my belief the officer meant to deploy their Taser but shot him with a single bullet," Chief Gannon said, adding: "There's nothing I can say to lessen the pain."

At the news conference, Brooklyn Center Mayor Mike Elliott promised to do everything he could to "ensure justice is done for Daunte Wright".

He said: "Our hearts are aching right now, we are in pain right now. We recognize this couldn't have happened at a worse time. This is happening at a time that all of our community, all of America, indeed all of the world is watching."

Wright's death has sparked protests in the US, with crowds defying curfews in order to protest the killing of the unarmed Black man outside Brooklyn Center Police headquarters.

Tensions were especially high considering Wright was shot on the outskirts of the same city in which George Floyd was killed last May.

According to witness accounts, some of the protesters threw fireworks and bottles at police who in turn started using tear gas and stun grenades to break up the crowds.

Officer Potter has resigned from the department.

Featured image credit: Pexels

A double amputee was fatally shot by police after he allegedly attempted to evade arrest, with his family now questioning the level of force used.

Anthony Lowe Jr, a 36-year-old father of two lost both of his legs following a previous encounter with police in Texas, the New York Post reported.

The Huntington Park Police Department was called on Thursday, January 26, after Lowe reportedly stabbed someone without provocation.

The 36-year-old, who was allegedly holding a butcher's knife at the time, attempted to flee the scene by getting out of his wheelchair and hopping down the street.

When confronted by police officers who initially attempted to taser him, Lowe continued to flee the scene. A police vehicle arrived and an armed officer fatally shot the father of two.

The police department has since claimed that the officer opened fire at Lowe after he had attempted to throw the knife in the direction of the officers.

The family members of the deceased have questioned the amount of force the police used due to Lowe's physical condition.

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, as cited by the Los Angeles Times, Dorothy Lowe - the 36-year-old's mother - said: "I just want the truth. Nothing but the truth and justice for my son. My son was murdered."

Joining the grieving mother were family and friends, alongside members of the Coalition for Community Control Over the Police.

Cliff Smith, an organizer of the group, said: "Anthony was brutally executed by Huntington Park police officers last Thursday in an attack that was vicious and cowardly."

Ellakenyada Gorum, Lowe's cousin said: "It’s sad, really sad how the police are getting away with killing our African American people. He was in a wheelchair. What more could he do?"

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s homicide unit is investigating the shooting, as is customary with all fatal shootings that involve police officers in the area.

The officers responsible for the shooting have been placed on leave, said Lt. Hugo Reynaga. He added that their names will be released in the coming days, and footage shows them shooting at Lowe "around 10 times."

He revealed that officers used two tasers before shooting but they were ineffective and Lowe wasn't responding to their commands.

The man who Lowe allegedly stabbed was in critical condition following the incident that lead to the police being called.

Lowe's mother expressed her worry that any footage of her son being killed might lead to destructive riots, adding that: "I don’t want our city to be torn down."

It comes after protests were held following the death of Tyre Nichols, who died after a traffic stop in Memphis, Tennessee.

Five officers were charged with murder and kidnapping as a result, with more officials being relieved of their duties as investigations into his death continue.

Featured image credit: Bob Caddick / Alamy

The United States has suffered another tragedy this week, after a shooter killed 12 people at a bar and grill at Thousand Oaks in California. Ian David Long, a 28-year-old man, opened fire with a .45 calibre handgun on innocent bystanders at the Borderline Bar and Grill at around 11.20pm on November 7, 2018. Long was shot by law enforcement, who arrived on the scene.

The life of a police officer was also claimed in the incident. He is said to have died a hero's death trying to protect innocent people. Sherrif's Sargent Ron Helus, a 29 year veteran of the Ventura County who was meant to retire in a year, was shot by Long after Helus attempted to confront and subdue the shooter.

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He was among the first responders at the incident and was hit multiple times. He died as a result of his injuries at the hospital in the early hours of Thursday, November 8. The Los Angeles Times has reported that, before heading to the scene of the incident, Helus called his wife and stated: "Hon, I got to go, I love you. I gotta go on a call."

Commenting on the death of his colleague, Ventura County Sheriff Geoff Dean stated: "Ron was a hardworking dedicated sheriff’s sergeant. He was totally committed. He gave his all. Tonight, as I told his wife, he died a hero because he went in to save lives, to save other people ... It's so tragic losing Ron. We go to the gym together, work out together. it's horrific and terrible and it saddens our hearts."

He added: "You know, I’ve been a cop for 41 years, and I never thought I would see the things around the country that would happen ... But I’ve learned, it doesn’t matter what community you’re in, it doesn’t matter how safe your community is. It can happen anywhere."

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Meanwhile, sheriff's Sgt Eric Buschow stated: "I don't think there's anything more heroic than what he did. He went in there to save lives. He took decisive action, and it's just a tragic loss for us ... This was in his blood. He had just a natural instinct for going after crooks, and he did it with enthusiasm, with a great deal of intelligence ... He loved spending time with his son. They would go fishing up in the Sierras together. My heart goes out to his family - I can't imagine what they're going through right now."

The Ventura County Sheriff's Office has stated that it will hold a special procession for Helus, honoring his brave attempt to arrest the perpetrator and protect innocent members of the public from harm. In an official statement, the Ventura County Sheriff's Department claimed "Ron’s selfless, heroic actions will never be forgotten. Our hearts go out to his family and friends during this difficult time."

Our thoughts are with Helus' friends and family, and all other people affected by the violence, during this difficult time.