Lawsuit says hero who killed gunman was shot without warning

By COLLEEN SLEVIN
Associated Press

DENVER (AP) — The mother of a man hailed as a hero for killing a gunman who ambushed and fatally shot a police officer only to be shot and killed himself by another officer without warning in suburban Denver is suing police. The lawsuit filed Wednesday claims the officer shot Johnny Hurley from behind and should have realized he didn’t pose a threat. The lawsuit came a day after the first anniversary of the shootings in downtown Arvada. Investigators say a man intent on killing as many police officers as he could shot and killed a police officer before Hurley rushed out of a nearby store and fatally shot him. Hurley was shot as he held the gunman’s AR-15 rifle but the lawsuit says it was clear to a witness that he was unloading it.