Seventeenth Judicial District Attorney Brian Mason found a Thornton police officer justified in the October fatal shooting of a man involved in a standoff with police.

Thornton Police Department Ofc. Robert Smedley shot and killed William Skells at the end of a prolonged shootout that took place in the 16000 block of Columbine Street in Thornton on Oct. 9, 2024, according to the decision letter from the 17th Judicial District Attorney Brian Mason’s Office.

Skells had shot another Thornton policeman, Ofc. Richardson, in the left shoulder earlier in the encounter from the shelter of his garage, according to the letter. Richardson was one of two officers sent to the hospital with non-lethal injuries from the shootout.

According to Mason’s decision letter, here’s how the shooting went down: 

The situation began just before 8 a.m. on Oct. 9, when police received a call about smoke and shots fired from the residence. Upon arriving, police were able to make contact with Skells’ mother, who said that he was the only person inside.

As officers arrived, they could hear a fire alarm coming from inside the home and Skells yelling and screaming inside, Mason wrote in the letter. Police took positions around the home, using both their own vehicles as well as civilian cars for shelter.

Richardson used a bullhorn to try and talk to Skells, who yelled back from inside the home. Then, at about 8:40 a.m., police heard a single gunshot from inside the residence consistent with a handgun.

About 25 minutes later, police heard three more shots, fired in the direction of another officer from inside the home, but did not hit them. Police continued to try and make contact with Skells, who appeared to become more agitated, making statements that the CIA was “doing PsyOps” on his home.

Officers then heard another gunshot, this one believed to be from a rifle, at 9:12 a.m., but it did not hit anyone. Skells then claimed he was going to surrender — he did not.

Police then saw movement inside the garage, with Skells firing three bullets from inside, according to the letter. It was at that point when Richardson was hit in the shoulder.

Another officer, Ofc. Lowe, was also transported to the hospital for treatment of multiple cuts to his face sustained during the shootout.

Another officer then returned fire, but there is no evidence that they shot Skells, according to the letter. Skells momentarily stopped shooting before firing five additional shots at police.

Skells and police continued to exchange gunfire back-and-forth, with officers unable to to see the shooter due to his vantage point in the garage. About 10 minutes later, he walked outside his back door onto the patio with his hands seemingly empty.

Police told him to put his hands up, a command which Skells initially complied with before sitting on his outdoor couch and grabbing his leg and waist area. After a few minutes, Skells stood up and began to move back inside the home despite repeated commands to stop.

It was then when Smedley opened fire.

In describing his decision to shoot, Smedley noted that Skells had already shot another officer and clearly did not intend to surrender, according to investigators. Other officers also confirmed that they believed Skells would continue to try and shoot others from inside the home if he went back inside.

After he was hit by Smedley’s bullet, Skells did make it back inside the home. But police could not communicate with him afterward, according to the letter. After a drone was sent in the home to verify Skells’ location, a SWAT team entered the residence and confirmed that Skells had died.

Investigators later recovered a .40 caliber pistol as well as an AR-15 rifle from the home, in addition to numerous bullet casings that amounted to at least 31 fired rounds, according to Mason’s letter. An autopsy of Skells confirmed that he had died from the gunshot to the right side of his abdomen that was fired by Smedley.

Skells’ toxicology report revealed positive tests for ethanol, cannabinoids and nicotine.

Because Smedley believed Skells presented an immediate danger to both police and the surrounding public from the position inside his home, Mason found his use of deadly force justified. 

“Officer Smedley’s decision to shoot Mr. Skells eliminated the danger and very possibly saved the lives of officers and other innocent victims,” according to Mason.