Doctor Shot, Killed Trying to Help Wounded Neighbors

Police believe the deadly shooting started as a domestic dispute
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 5, 2016 6:30 PM CDT
Doctor Shot, Killed Trying to Help Wounded Neighbors
Kevin Lyons   (Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office)

A beloved doctor was killed when he rushed to help two women injured in a shooting Monday in Centennial, Colorado, KDVR reports. According to the Denver Post, 65-year-old Kenneth Atkinson was shot in the head and torso as he ran out of his house to help the women, who had also been shot. He had been a doctor in Centennial for 30 years. "He cared about his patients, and that came across,” Mari Delapp, Atkinson's medical assistant of 15 years, tells KDVR. She wasn't surprised he was killed trying to save others. “If Doc saw something, he was just going to help," she says. "That was Doc." The two injured women, 44-year-old Elizabeth Lyons and 46-year-old Laurie Juergens, remained in the hospital Tuesday, KWGN reports. They are expected to recover.

Lyon's husband, 46-year-old Kevin Lyons, was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. Neighbors say the general contractor and father of three unexpectedly started shooting Monday afternoon and didn't stop even after police arrived. Police believe it started as a domestic dispute. Lyons allegedly shot his wife as she ran for help then shot Juergens, a neighbor who tried to come to her aid. In court Tuesday, Lyons yelled at his public defenders, interrupted the judge, and claimed to have hired John Elway's lawyer. A public defender raised questions about his mental health. Besides failing to show up for a civil case in 2013, Lyons has no known criminal history. Charges are expected Friday. (More shooting stories.)

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