This story first appeared in a Colorado Community Media newspaper. Support CCM’s neighborhood news.
On the one-year anniversary of the Olde Town Arvada shooting, the estate of Johnny Hurley filed a civil lawsuit against the Arvada Police Department seeking damages for Hurley’s death.
Former Arvada police Officer Kraig Brownlow — the officer who mistook Hurley for the initial shooter and fatally shot him — and Arvada police Chief Link Strate are named in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit was filed by Hurley’s mother, Kathleen Boleyn, as a representative of Hurley’s estate.
On Nov. 8, 2021, Jefferson County District Attorney Alexis King announced the findings of a months-long investigation into the events of the shooting June 21, 2021.
The investigation found that Officer Gordon Beesley responded to a threat in Olde Town Square and was killed by Ronald Troyke, who had written a manifesto professing his hatred of the Arvada police. Hurley was shopping at the Army Navy Surplus store across the street from the Square and responded to the incident by fatally shooting Troyke.
Brownlow was part of a group of APD officers who were responding to the shooting. Brownlow mistakenly identified Hurley as the initial shooter — Troyke — and fatally shot him.
King’s office did not charge Brownlow with any criminal wrongdoing. Brownlow left the Arvada Police Department months after the incident.
On Wednesday, the Arvada Police Department released a statement saying they are aware of the lawsuit filed by Hurley’s estate and stand by King’s finding that Brownlow did not commit any criminal offense in his response to the shooting.