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Officers Cleared In Fatal Shooting Of Man With Machete

BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Boulder's district attorney has concluded that the fatal shooting of a machete-wielding man on the University of Colorado campus by two officers was justified.

machete
(credit: Boulder DA)

District Attorney Stan Garnett cleared the officers of wrongdoing in the Oct. 5 death of 28-year-old Brandon Simmons. Garnett said Wednesday that the former Marine from Thornton presented a significant danger to CU Officer Clay Austin and Boulder police Officer Jason Connor.

Investigators say Simmons brandished the machete during an altercation in the parking lot of the university's sports complex and then went inside the building.

Brandon Simmons
Brandon Simmons (credit: CBS)

He went into a stairwell, where he tried to gain access to different floors which required a key card.

Brandon Simmons
(credit: Boulder DA)

Police say the officers opened fire after Simmons refused to drop the knife and advanced toward them.

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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