Denver police shot and killed a woman reportedly armed with a knife, the agency reported just after 1 p.m. Sunday.

The shooting took place at north Broadway and Lawrence Street at about 11:35 a.m., police said. Authorities closed Lawrence Street and police advised residents to seek alternate routes. Additional road closures were also reported at north Broadway and Larimer Street to North Broadway and 22nd Street.

In a media briefing, Chief Ron Thomas said there was a person standing in the middle of the intersection and a park ranger attempted to “make contact with that individual” but was unsuccessful in getting the woman off the street.

At that point, the park ranger called the police department and officers responded. The park ranger was one of two calls the department received; the other came from “passerby,” Thomas said.

The woman was armed with a large “hunting style” knife, the police chief said.

“The officers issued a number of commands for them to drop the weapon, which they refused and actually began to advance on the officers,” Thomas said. “The officers deployed a taser twice.”

“But (the taser) did not have the desired effect and the suspect began to hasten their pace towards the officers,” he said.

Thomas said the officers had attempted to deescalate the situation but were unsuccessful. Throughout the entire encounter, police backpedaled away from the armed woman as she advanced towards them, he said.

As the woman advanced, the three officers who responded to the call decided to use their weapons, firing several shots. After the woman went down, police called for an ambulance and began rendering aid, Thomas said.

Thomas said he believes the decision by officers to use their handguns followed the department’s protocol but that decision ultimately lies with the District Attorney’s Office.

“We’re going to have to interview those officers and other witnesses and go through video that we’re gonna have in order to make that ultimate determination. And ultimately, I think it’s going to be the DA’s decision,” Thomas said. “My belief is that the officers perceived a significant threat and responded to it.”

Thomas lamented the fact the incident happened in broad daylight and in the midst of Rockies traffic with “lots of community members around.” However, he emphasized he believed the officers took “due caution” when making the decision to shoot.

The police said the press conference will likely be the final update on this shooting until the Office of the Medical Examiner releases information related to the woman killed.