A HERO cop who was one of ten people killed in a shooting rampage in a Colorado supermarket has been named as Eric Talley.
The “outstanding officer” and dad-of-seven was one of the first cops to arrive on the scene at the King Soopers grocery in Boulder on Monday night.
The Boulder Police Department confirmed that nine others had also been killed at the store on Table Mesa Drive in Boulder.
Cops identified the slain officer as Eric Talley, who arrived at the scene just after 3pm.
Talley had served in the Boulder Police Department since 2010, Police Chief Maris Herold said at a press briefing last night.
“He was, by all accounts, one of the outstanding officers at the Boulder Police Department and his life was cut far too short,”, Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty told the briefing.
Talley’s father Homer told Denver7 that his son had seven children and “took his job as a police officer very seriously”.
'LOVED HIS FAMILY'
“He loved his kids and his family more than anything,” he added.
Homer said that his son had become a police officer at the age of 40, and was “looking for a job to keep himself off of the front lines”.
He continued: “He didn’t want to put his family through something like this and he believed in Jesus Christ.”
Officers lined up in a procession on Monday night and saluted the fallen officer.
Police Chief Maris Herold said: “My heart goes out to the victims of this incident. And I’m grateful for the police officers that responded.
“And I am so sorry about the loss of Officer Talley.”
Meanwhile, the Boulder Police Department confirmed that nine others had also been killed at the King Soopers grocery store.
None of the other nine victims of yesterday’s rampage have yet been identified.
A law enforcement source told ABC News that a suspect opened fire on them when they arrived at the scene.
A shirtless man with blood running down his leg was seen being escorted out of the store in handcuffs by two police officers.
The shooter allegedly used a long gun, according to sources.
Television helicopter video showed law enforcement vehicles and officers massing outside, including SWAT teams, and at least three helicopters on the roof of the store in the southern part of the city of Boulder.
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