A Lake County man who police alleged gave them no choice but to shoot him will spend nine years in prison for assaulting a police officer.

When Leadville police responded to a domestic violence call around 1 a.m., Oct. 30, 2018, Dylan Byrne Gregg, 33, started throwing things through a front bay window at a Leadville police officer standing about 20 feet away in the front yard, according to police and prosecutors’ reports.

That outburst came about on the heels of Gregg throwing and breaking things inside the house, which prompted his wife to call 911 and barricade herself and their 1-year old child in a bedroom.

When police arrived Gregg turned his attention to them.

Police said they tried to calm Gregg, but he continued to escalate the situation. Once inside, police said they finally resorted to using a non-lethal Taser, but that didn’t slow him down much.

Gregg then charged at one of the officers, cornered him against a wall and began punching him in the head. The officer feared for his life and shot Gregg three times, according to the police report of the incident.

Gregg survived the shooting, and doctors found that his blood-alcohol level was .145, nearly twice the legal limit. The blood test also showed evidence of recent cocaine and marijuana usage. Gregg has an extensive criminal history, some related to drug abuse, including a prison commitment in 2009, prosecutors said in a press release.

“The officer protected a young woman and her baby that night, ending what could have been a real tragedy,” Bruce Brown, the Fifth Judicial District Attorney said. “Law enforcement officers are continually put in lethal situations in our communities, forced to respond in kind just to save lives,” he added.

Gregg pleaded guilty to assault on a peace officer, a felony, and admitted domestic violence played a role in the Oct. 30, 2018, incident.

Under the plea agreement, Gregg faced a prison sentence up to 12 years.