Officers cleared in fatal shooting at CU of man with machete, later Id'd as Brandon Simmons

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

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, The Daily Camera reports.

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.

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

CUPD spokesman Scott Pribble said 14 CUPD officers and nine BPD officers responded to the scene. Simmons was shot after he allegedly failed to comply with officers’ commands to drop his weapon, then allegedly advanced toward them, police said.

Friends of Simmons’ on Friday told Denver7 that Simmons was a former Marine who was discharged earlier this year after around a decade of service. Simmons had two children and an ex-wife, who all live in California, where Simmons used to be stationed.

Friends said Simmons had recently moved in with his father in Thornton after the divorce.