On Saturday, July 5, 2025, at approximately 1:30 a.m., the Colorado Springs Police Department’s (CSPD) 911 Communications Center received a report of a disturbance in the 100 block of East Pikes Peak Avenue. The caller reported an adult male displaying a firearm near the closing time of several downtown nightclubs. Officers investigated the report and then cleared from the call.
At approximately 1:49 a.m., officers monitoring the area via downtown surveillance cameras located an individual matching the suspect’s description and observed he appeared to be armed. Responding officers from the Colorado Springs Police Department arrived at the scene and attempted to contact the individual. As the officers approached, the suspect turned and ran, reaching toward his waistband. One officer discharged their weapon, striking the suspect.
The suspect was taken into custody, and officers began life-saving measures. Despite those efforts, he was pronounced deceased at the scene. A firearm was recovered nearby.
The El Paso County Coroner’s Office identified the deceased suspect as 26-year-old Alex Martinez-Sarmiento and will determine the official cause and manner of death at a later time.
No officers or uninvolved members of the public were injured during the incident. Per CSPD policy, the officer involved has been placed on paid administrative leave.
As required by Colorado state law, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is the lead investigative agency in this officer-involved shooting. The investigation remains ongoing, and further information will be released as it becomes available.