Category: krdo-local-news

Michael Logerwell

NOTE: The above video is straight from the Colorado Springs Police Department, unedited by KRDO. The video shows the shooting in full view. Viewer discretion is advised.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The Colorado Springs Police Department is releasing the officer-worn body camera footage from the shooting that killed 26-year-old Alex Martinez-Sarmiento in the early morning hours of July 5 in Downtown Colorado Springs.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Man dies in police shooting overnight in downtown Colorado Springs

In the video released by the police department, Ira Cronin, CSPD public information officer, says it all started with a 911 call.

Portions of the call are included in the 11-minute video. The caller tells the 911 operator, “There’s an individual with, it looks like a semi-automatic weapon. A black male in the parking lot. He’s screaming at some people.”

Police officers then responded to the area, a parking lot near the intersection of Pikes Peak Ave. and Tejon St., where they didn’t find the man fitting the caller’s description, but found a group arguing.

The officers approached the group, unrelated to the 911 call. The incident didn’t escalate, no rifle was found, and no arrests were made.

Several minutes later, at 1:37 a.m., CSPD says its officers saw the same group arguing again while crossing Tejon St. Again, officers went to break up the argument, and no arrests were made.

Captions blurred by KRDO13 for vulgar language.

Cronin says that during this time, the Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) was monitoring the group via security cameras.

Then, police say that the Real Time Crime Center identified the person with the rifle who was the subject of the previous 911 call. RTCC officers identified a male who’d been in the group contacted by police twice already that night as the person reported to be carrying the rifle.

In the video, Cronin says that after learning this information, officers were working to determine their next steps.

Then at 1:49 a.m., the Real Time Crime Center officer saw the group get into another argument. Then saw that same individual, the one identified as having brandished a rifle, pull a handgun with an illegal extended magazine out of his white car and tuck it into his waistband.

Officers then rushed over to the area of the parking lot closest to Pikes Peak Ave. Body camera footage shows the officer behind him makes first contact with the suspect. Initially, he puts his hands up, but then turns and starts running away. The officer can be heard telling the suspect to put his hands up, then telling others that the suspect is armed.

Cronin says the suspect reached towards his waistband while running away, and that’s when one officer fired three shots, hitting the suspect, later identified as Alex Martinez-Sarmiento, in the back.

First responders rendered medical aid to Martinez-Sarmiento but were unsuccessful, and he died in the parking lot.

Cronin says officers recovered a loaded Glock 17 with an illegal extended magazine from the right pant leg of the suspect. Cronin then says officers recovered another handgun, a Glock 43 with a scratched-off serial number, from a vehicle the suspect was seen getting into. The rifle has still not been located.

Captions from CSPD video.

The 4th judicial district attorney’s office is investigating the officer’s use of force and determining if it complied with Colorado Law.

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Danny Mata

Rob Namnoum is the longest tenured sportscaster in the history of Colorado Springs. It’s impossible to put into words how much Rob means to the Southern Colorado community.

Rob was inducted into the Heartland Emmys Silver Circle in recognition of his service to Southern Colorado. Rob is now in his 26th year at KRDO13.

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Karla Sosa

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)- Sometimes it takes more than physical therapy to recover from an injury. The Department of Defense Warrior Games are one way to help active duty and retired military in their recovery journeys by giving them sports to compete in.

The games are back in Colorado Springs for the first time in almost a decade. The games will be in here until the 26th at the Main Venue of Colorado College. 

This is the first year that Sergeant Louis Diaz has competed in the Department of Defense Warrior Games. It’s been a long year for him on his path to recovery. Diaz was recovering for 10 months and said his rehabilitation was tough. 

“Last year, I was in a car accident. I broke both my legs and had internal damage,” said Diaz. “I had to transition from a wheelchair to crutches and to a walker, and then finally to be able to walk again. One of the biggest challenges was running. I felt like my bones were breaking again.”

Diaz is one of 200 active and retired military service members competing this week in Colorado Springs. Five service branches are being represented here at the games. The participants can compete in 11 different adaptive sports, from cycling to powerlifting to wheelchair basketball and more.

“They say they’re not competitive. There’s a little competition, but it is for the rehab, rehabilitation. Whether they were wounded or ill, active duty veterans. But a place to unite and be a team again,” said Katie Moses Swope, public relations.

Diaz said being part of the games shows him that he has a support system.       

“Everyone’s going through something here, right? So like it’s nice to know that I’m not alone,” said Diaz.

Next year, the Warrior Games will be in San Antonio.

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Michael Logerwell

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) – Saturday afternoon, a woman was killed at Lake Pueblo State Park. Colorado Parks and Wildlife says it was a tragic accident involving a powered watercraft and contact with the engine propeller.

CPW says the incident happened around 4 p.m. near the North Shore at Denver Cove. Pueblo West Firefighters attempted life-saving measures after the 43-year-old woman was brought to the North Shore Marina, but were unsuccessful.

The Pueblo County Coroner declared her dead just after 5 p.m. Her identity has not been released at this time.

CPW added that the circumstances around the death are being investigated by local authorities. As of publication, no arrests have been made.

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Michael Logerwell

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — For the third time this month, KRDO13 has received video of fireworks being launched directly at homes in the middle of the night, not for celebration.

We are told at KRDO13 that the new fireworks explosion was so loud that it woke neighbors who were sleeping seven houses away. The family whose house was involved says the explosion has caused hundreds of dollars worth of damage.

“It was so loud, it woke me up out of my dead sleep. And I was like, what in the world was that?”

Rosa Cabrera says this explosion shook the windows of her home, and at first, she thought it had caught her family’s house on fire.

“My daughter came running in the room, and she was like, Mom, Mom, the house is on fire,” Cabrera said she ran to her daughter’s room and looked out the window. “You could just see a huge cloud of smoke. I really thought my house was on fire.”

The incident was caught on a slew of home security cameras along Wilmington Drive. In one video, you see two people lighting a fuse and throwing it at the home from a neighbor’s yard. Then another catches them as they run away, with the explosion in the background.

“My reaction was terrifying. I couldn’t believe that something like that was happening to my home,” Cabrera said.

This is now the third incident since July 4th that KRDO13 Investigates has covered where fireworks were lit by an unknown person at someone’s home. One of which happened just a few hours earlier near Monument in El Paso County, and the other, which led to a fire that completely destroyed a home. 

PREVIOUS REPORTING: Family devastated, Colorado Springs home uninhabitable after illegal fireworks cause fire

PREVIOUS REPORTING: KNOCK, KNOCK, BOOM: Family awoken to loud sounds, smoke after ‘Ding-Dong Ditch’

According to officials, there’s currently no evidence to suggest that the three events are connected. 

“We’re definitely going to be upgrading our system over the weekend. That’s something that we’ve been wanting to do anyway, but now this is just, like, basically forcing us to do it.”

The family says they have filed a police report, alleging the incident caused $500 worth of damage.

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Celeste Springer

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — US 24 is closed in both directions due to a crash, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).

CDOT says the closure runs from Cotton Tail Drive and Curtis Road (3 to 4 miles east of Colorado Springs) from Mile Point 322.5 to Mile Point 323.8. 

State Patrol told KRDO13 that the crash involved two vehicles and one motorcycle. Patrol says the motorcyclist is deceased.

Patrol says the road should be expected to be closed for several hours.

Drivers should expect heavy delays. CDOT also asked that they use caution.

This is a breaking news situation with minimal details, but this article may be updated.

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Heather Skold

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Finding a trusted, vetted, skilled childcare giver is one of the biggest challenges of parenthood. Add in multiple moves to new cities while in the military?  The challenge becomes overwhelming. 

Enter the mission of Operation Childcare Project’s “HomeFront Help.” 

Founded by Army spouse Kayla Corbitt, the nonprofit serves to train a cohort of “helpers” who undergo FBI background checks and receive safety training, including CPR, to be ready for military families.

“[Military Families] were turning to Facebook, and we thought, ‘There has to be a better way,'” said Corbitt. “There’s a gap that exists.  A gap that’s typically filled with friends, family, or neighbors that military families really don’t have,” said Founder Kayla Corbritt.

Two dozen of those helpers have just finished their first training in Colorado Springs to fill what Corbitt terms a “childcare desert” in the Pikes Peak Region. 

The pilot program was initially introduced in Florida, and since its debut in the fall of 2024, the program has served more than 100 families.

“There’s a deficit I wasn’t even aware of,” said Kayla Zimmerman, a helper trainee.  “We want to make sure they have some stability when it’s up and down all the time and new deployments.”

Operation Childcare already has quarterly trainings planned through 2026 in Colorado Springs. 

Caregivers who wish to gain vetted status through Operation Childcare can do so here.

Military members can also search the website’s repository for vetted caregivers here.

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Bradley Davis

CASCADE, Colo. (KRDO) – Friday morning was one of just five days this year that Park Rangers will open the Pikes Peak highway early enough for visitors to see the sun rise from over 14,000 feet in the sky.

It’s the first season Park Rangers have introduced “Sunrise Shuttles,” providing more transportation options for people to get to the top before the sun comes up.

One onlooker traveled over 4000 miles to see the sun rise above Pikes Peak with his friends.

“It’s unreal. A once-in-a-lifetime experience. Unlike anything I’ve ever done before,” United Kingdom native Adam Newton said.

The Gateway opened at 4:30 a.m. on Friday.

It will open again at 4:30 a.m. on August 1, followed by a 5 a.m. sunrise opening September 27 and a final early-morning viewing experience at 5:30 a.m. on October 13. Tribal Nation Elders will perform a sunrise blessing on the mountain top on October 13 in honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

A timed entry permit or a shuttle ticket is required to enjoy the Pikes Peak Sunrise openings. A 2-hour timed entry permit is $2. A standard shuttle ticket is $35 for adults and $10 for children.

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Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — The project to extend Powers Boulevard north to Interstate 25 started in 2019 and likely won’t be finished until 2030 at the earliest, officials have said.

Citizens had the opportunity to ask questions and receive an update on the project at a 90-minute public meeting held on Thursday evening at Discovery Canyon High School.

“Mostly, we’ve seen a lot of feedback that has said Thank goodness, it’s about time it’s happening,” said Gayle Sturdivant, the city’s deputy public works director. “And we hear that a lot every day. But for the most part, it’s just really been more minor questions about what’s going on. It hasn’t been really anything specific, other than it’s about time this last segment of Powers is getting constructed.”

The remaining phase of the project involves extending Powers two miles through the Flying Horse subdivision and connecting to the previously built extension between Voyager Parkway and I-25.

Part of that phase also includes a noise study to determine current and future traffic noise levels and consider possible mitigation strategies.

“Just doing a comparison,” Sturdivant explained. “One, to see if there are noise impacts on the adjacent residents. And two, if they meet the primary criteria — which are feasibility and reasonableness. So, many steps happen. What we’re really kicking off today is just the testing.”

A key component of the Powers connection was finished in late March with the completion of the Voyager Parkway bridge, which will rise above the end of the Powers extension when it arrives.

The bridge construction was delayed four months after several frustrating delays that included weather impacts and relocating a utility line linked to the Air Force Academy.

Existing ramps already connect to I-25 between both ends of Spectrum Loop, which served as the primary detour during bridge construction.

The Copper Ridge Metro District is fronting the cost of the project through property tax revenue from surrounding commercial businesses and several apartment complexes.

The district also financed the earlier two-year project to connect the north end of the Powers Boulevard extension to I-25; the Voyager bridge and the Spectrum Loop bridge cross over that extension and were built by the district.

Revenue from the penny sales tax of the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority will reimburse the district.

Sturdivant said that because of the district agreeing to front construction costs, the project is actually ahead of schedule.

The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) is a partner in the project.

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Mackenzie Stafford

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – A recent list released by Finance Buzz lands Colorado Springs as the 14th most boring city in America.

KRDO13 is digging into what data points were used to come to that conclusion.

Researchers at Finance Buzz say they collected data in categories using a mix of population makeup, culinary scene, outdoor activities, nightlife, celebrations and things to do. Here’s more on their study.

KRDO13 took the results to downtown Colorado Springs to ask people if they thought the ranking got it right. 

There was an array of answers, including “that’s ridiculous,” “oh come on,” “I’m not surprised,” “that’s crazy to me,” and “I call B.S.”

One person told us that, “It’s kind of hilarious because when I moved here, there was actually a lot of, keep Colorado Springs lame. And I was like, come on, Colorado Springs is awesome,” shared Crystal Byrd.

The main shortfalls that the study suggests contribute to Colorado Springs’ ranking are a lack of nightlife and a subpar culinary scene. 

“The nightlife is kind of limited to just this one block,” said Brandon McCright, speaking about Tejon St.

His family member disagreed.

“20-somethings can still come down here and party all night long. But yeah, we 50-somethings still have a place to go,” explained Debbie McCright.

Some downtown businesses are trying their best to keep things interesting.

“We’ve been hosting DJs at night, which is really fun,” said Owner of TByrds Tacos & Tequila, Crystal Byrd.

Despite the low ranking, the study wasn’t completely negative. The rankings did tout Colorado Springs’ stunning scenery, which is a big draw to the area, and something that the city itself highlighted when we asked for its reaction to the study.

“If being surrounded by breathtaking mountain views, over 18,000 acres of parks, trails, and open space, a historic downtown, wonderful shops and craft breweries and distilleries, world-class museums, Olympic-level training, festivals for every season and being ranked as the #1 Most Neighborly City in America are ‘boring’, we’ll take that any day.”

– Joe Hollmann, Acting Chief Communications Officer, City of Colorado Springs

Other cities that made the top 15 spots include Tulsa, Oklahoma, Phoenix, Albuquerque and Jacksonville, Florida, which was named the number one most boring city in the country. 

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