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The Police Chief in West Liberty says an officer has never had to kill someone on his watch. But Wednesday, a sergeant was forced to shoot and kill a man threatening him with a knife and machete.

The shooting happened on Liberty Road at a house across from West Liberty Elementary School.

Some students were playing outside and saw Jimmy Hill get shot on his front porch. The sergeant wasn't hurt and Scott Adkins' chief defended his actions.

"It's hard for Sergeant Adkins," said Chief Kelse Hensley, who fought tears when he said Sgt. Scott Adkins worked in the department for 12 years.

"Our office is pretty shaken up," said the chief who went on to say neither man has ever had to deal with what happened Wednesday afternoon. "The officer was met with deadly force and he responded with deadly force."

It started with a domestic disturbance call. The Chief says he and Sgt. Adkins went to a Liberty Road home and met its renter, Jimmy Hill, who the Chief described as drunk with two weapons, one in each hand.

"One was a machete, curved-blade machete and the other was a smaller knife that looked to me like a dagger, a knife that could cut with both edges, two edges," said Hensley.

The Chief says the 42-year-old wouldn't listen and threatened Sgt. Adkins who fired one shot. Hill went down.

"It's unfortunate, but unavoidable," said the Chief.

The situation happened around 2 p.m. across the street from West Liberty Elementary and there were kids on the playground who the Chief says saw it happen. Officials put the school on lock down while Hill went to the hospital where he died.

Neighbors say Hill's wife, Erica, was home at the time but wasn't hurt. Her two sons also live there. As for the school, it will offer counseling on Thursday.

Sgt. Adkins was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.