CENTENNIAL, Colo (KDVR) — In the months leading up to Monday’s shooting in Olde Town Arvada, friends say Johnny Hurley spoke openly, and often about his concealed carry permit.
Hurley, they say, spoke frequently about his desire to protect others, if need be.
“He always had the gun with him, and we were always like, “What are you going to do with that?” said Elliot Darling. “And he was like, ‘Well one day, you never know.’ And of course, that one day came, and he was prepared.”
Hurley is being called a hero for reportedly taking down a gunman who killed an Arvada police officer.
Wednesday night, sources told FOX31 the Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) is investigating the possibility that a responding officer shot Hurley.
Self-defense experts say concealed carry owners are often faced with split-second decisions in situations like this.
“It is our duty to protect, but we need to understand that other people are showing up with the same duty,” said Jimmy Graham.
Graham is the founder of Able Shepherd, which trains people in active shooter response.
He says after neutralizing a threat, it’s important to make it clear to others, including police, that you yourself are not a threat.
“What they need to see is my hands up, and talking to them, ‘Over here, over here, I’ve got one down!’ That sounds like a guy trying to help me, not trying to hurt me, and it’s very clear that my hands are up.”
Graham recommends re-holstering your gun to ensure police and others in the area don’t mistake you for the active shooter.
“Most people don’t even think about that. I see gun, I shoot. That’s a bad habit to get into, but you’ve got a half second to evaluate that, and if you mess it up, it means you might not go home tonight,” he said. “So it’s a big, big deal. And both sides, quite frankly, need training. If you have a concealed carry, it’s on you to know this stuff.”
The CIRT process can also identify where potential police policy changes are needed. Police officials said they hope to have more information on this case in the next few days.