Service honors Boulder officer killed in attack
LAFAYETTE, Colo. — From helping someone with a flooded basement to collecting memorabilia for a boy with cancer who wanted “police stuff” for Christmas, Boulder Officer Eric Talley was remembered Tuesday as a man of faith who put others first, long before he rushed into a Colorado supermarket where a gunman had opened fire.
More than 1,000 people, including officers from as far away as New York City, honored the 51-year-old father of seven at a memorial service just over a week after he was credited with preventing more people from dying by hurrying into the store with other officers.
Besides Talley, nine others were killed in the March 22 mass shooting in Boulder.
During the service at Flatirons Community Church in nearby Lafayette, Boulder police Chief Maris Herold said Talley’s personnel file was filled with thank you letters from people he had helped during his decade with the department.
A former information technology worker, Talley felt a calling to become an officer at age 41.
“I would say he has left his mark, but not because of how he died but how he lived,” said Talley’s supervisor, Sgt. Adrian Drelles.
Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, 21, has been charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder over shots fired at another officer.
Prosecutors expect to file more charges as the investigation progresses in the case.
One of Alissa’s public defenders told a judge during his first court appearance that they needed to assess Alissa’s mental health but did not provide details about his condition.
His next court hearing is scheduled for May 25.