On April 23, 2025, at approximately 11:53 pm, a call came into the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Regional Communications Center, reporting a domestic violence assault at a residence in the 1400 block of Hathaway Drive in the Cimarron Hills area of unincorporated El Paso County.
The victim reported a disturbance had occurred, and they fled the residence after being choked several times by the suspect. The victim also reported they were safely located at a neighbor’s home. However, a young child remained inside the residence with the suspect.
El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Patrol deputies responded to the scene.
The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Mark Anthony Leon, began yelling through the door once deputies arrived and refused to exit the residence.
Due to the circumstances of the child being inside the residence with the suspect, and the suspect’s uncooperative and aggressive actions, at approximately 3:30 am, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team responded to the scene.
El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Crisis Negotiators began working to establish communication with Leon.
Approximately 90 minutes after establishing contact, the suspect surrendered at approximately 6:34 am.
The child was immediately located inside the residence by deputies and was unharmed.
Mark Anthony Leon was booked into the El Paso County Jail on the following charges:
-Assault in the Second Degree
-Assault in the Third Degree
-Harassment
-Domestic Violence
“I am grateful to my Patrol, SWAT, our trained negotiators, and deputies for their quick response to this incident,” said El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal. “There is no doubt their training, preparation, and actions ensured the suspect remained calm and ultimately surrendered peacefully, without harming himself or the innocent life involved.
“My deputies do an exceptional job, and I am incredibly proud of their work. At the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, our mission is to hold criminals accountable and provide justice to victims in the Pikes Peak region.”
