Hunt said he wanted a ride to a nearby city but when they asked him to give up his sword, he refused and his demeanor changed. That's when he swung the 3-foot metal sword at them, Buhman said.
"This happened so quickly, violently and without provocation the officers had to use what was most immediately available to them, which was their firearms," Buhman said. He said the investigation uncovered no trace that race or ethnicity played a role in the incident.
The findings of the investigation were based on interviews with the officers involved and three witnesses, he said. Buhman said after Hunt was initially hit by gunfire, he fled and disobeyed orders to drop the sword.