The 17th Judicial District Attorney determined a Thornton police officer was legally justified in shooting and killing a man on I-25 who charged at him brandishing a knife last year.

The incident started about 7:30 a.m. Sept. 5 when several motorists called 911 to report “a man wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans was walking in a northbound lane of traffic on Interstate 25 near 84th Avenue,” according to the Critical Incident Response Team report.

The man was later identified as Darylray Lopez.

Thornton Sgt. Cushing (no first name provided) contacted Lopez from over the median from the southbound lanes and tried to calm him down.

The man said he was sick and Cushing “responded that he was there to help and asked the male if he needed an ambulance,” according to the report.

Thornton Officer Arthur Brown arrived a short time later and parked close to the median on the shoulder of the northbound I-25 lanes.

“As Officer Brown approached, the male suddenly pushed off the barrier and stepped into the northbound lane of traffic,” the report states. “The male faced Officer Brown and reached behind his back with his right arm concealed.”

Brown and Cushing continued to try and de-escalate the situation by offering help and asking Lopez, “What’s going on, bro?”

Once Lopez brandished a knife, Brown drew his 9mm service pistol and ordered him to  “Put it down!”

He ordered Lopez to drop the knife two more times, but the suspect starting charging him. That’s when Brown fired three times, dropping him, according to the report.

While on the ground, the man continued to refuse to let go of the knife until another officer kicked it out of his hand. Toxicology reports showed Lopez had methamphetamines in his system at the time.

“There were few options available to Officer Brown in this situation,” according to the report.

“There is no evidence to suggest that an objectively reasonable officer would have acted differently than Officer Brown in this situation,” District Attorney Brian Mason said in a news release. “While this interaction escalated within a matter of seconds, it was not the result of the officers’ behavior or their actions. Rather, both officers attempted to diffuse the situation in a calm and peaceful manner, and they treated Mr. Lopez with dignity.

“Mr. Lopez, by his actions, demonstrated not only an unwillingness to comply with the officers’ reasonable commands, but an aggression toward Officer Brown.”

Mason noted the added danger that “this conduct occurred on a major U.S. highway with cars literally streaming by within feet of the officers.”