Memorial For Arvada Police Officer Gordon Beesley Grows As Mourners Leave Flowers, Flags And Notes

ARVADA, Colo. (CBS4) - Community members are leaving flowers, flags and notes on a patrol car outside the Arvada City Hall, to show their respect and gratitude for a fallen police officer. Gordon Beesley was killed Monday in a shooting in Olde Town Arvada. Another person, described as a "Samaritan," was also killed -- along with the suspect.

By noon on Tuesday, the patrol car was barely visible under all the tributes.

Beesley was with the Arvada Police Department for 19 years. He was a School Resource Officer at Oberon Middle School and was working patrol while school was out for the summer.

Beesley's background includes working on patrol, and with the traffic unit as a motorcycle officer.

While at Oberon Middle School in 2014, Beesley was able to get a bicycle for a boy with special needs but the student's mother didn't want him to ride his bike to school alone. That's when Beesley decided to ride his bicycle to the boy's house so they could ride to school together. They also rode home from school that day.

Crowds lined the streets of Arvada with American flags and Thin Blue Line flags during the procession honoring Beesley on Monday evening.

Community members left tributes to Beesley, including blue and black balloons, candles and a wood carving of an eagle.

Mourners continued to visit the impromptu memorial on Tuesday.

One couple packed up their van with food and dropped it off at the police station. They brought chips, fruit and Gatorade for the department that certainly has a long road ahead.

One of the people who brought food is a salon owner in Olde Town Arvada.

"It just hit home, it just was hard," Hether Florman said. "There's so much bad going on and why people do this, I just don't understand."

A prayer vigil is scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Peace Lutheran Church, at 5675 Field St. to honor the lives of both Officer Beesley, and the citizen who was killed.

Those wishing to make donations should contribute to the Colorado Fallen Hero Foundation. The foundation can assist, support, and provide resources for the host agency in their effort to serve the deceased officer's family based on their needs and wishes.

In:
• Arvada News