A Commerce City police officer did nothing wrong when he shot and killed a man who was threatening a woman with a butcher knife, the 17th Judicial District Attorney announced today.
Officer Brian Trujillo on Oct. 21 arrived at Nathan Done’s home at 6976 Monaco in response to reports that Done was suicidal.
Trujillo entered the home after hearing screams and found Done menacing his girlfriend Cynthia Douglas with the knife. The officer fired as Done brought the blade to her throat, according to the DA’s report.
“Officer Trujillo justifiably feared for his own safety, and more importantly, the safety of Ms. Douglas,” wrote DA Don Quick.
Officers later found notes Done wrote around the house with fatalistic phrases such as, “When I leave here I’m just going to kill myself.”
A coroner found a last will and testament in his back pocket during an autopsy. And both Douglas and a family member told officers Done had threatened “suicide by cop” in the run-up to the shooting.
Jessica Fender: 303-954-1244 or jfender@denverpost.com.
