A Colorado Springs police officer was found to be justified by the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in his use of deadly force in July that killed one person, according to a release by the office on Wednesday. Officer Conner Wallick shot Alex Martinez-Sarmiento twice, killing him, as he moved his arm “as if he were imminently drawing a firearm” while running away. Police recovered a Glock semi-automatic firearm with an extended magazine in Martinez-Sarmiento’s pants, according to the release. Wallick and other officers were dispatched around 1:30 a.m. on July 5 to the 100 block of Pikes Peak Avenue after a report of a male yelling and brandishing a weapon near a nightclub. The image Officer Conner Wallick received of Alex Martinez-Sarmiento holding what appears to be a semi-automatic rifle on July 5, 2025. (Courtesy of the 4th Judicial District) After unsuccessfully canvassing for the suspect, Wallick received a photo after returning to his car of Martinez-Sarmiento with a semi-automatic rifle, the release stated. Other officers confirmed seeing the man with a group near a white Mercedes in the parking lot west of North Tejon Street and south of East Kiowa Street. Then, Wallick observed Martinez-Sarmiento walk to the car with several other people when four to five women approached the group, resulting in a verbal confrontation, according to the release. Alex Martinez-Sarmiento seen holding what appears to be a handgun with an extended magazine on July 5, 2025. (Courtesy of the 4th Judicial District) Wallick was given additional information that Martinez-Sarmiento retrieved an item from the vehicle, “prompting others to immediately flee.” This caused Wallick to make contact with the suspect and draw his weapon on him while his hands were empty, the release stated. “I immediately was very afraid that he was pursuing that group that he had just scared off with the intent of, you know, committing first-degree assaultor murder, um but definitely going after them to either seriously wound them or to kill them,” Wallick stated in the release as part of the investigation. Martinez-Sarimento complied with initial commands from Wallick before “abruptly” moving his hands toward his waistband and running away, according to the release. After warning him to stop running, Martinez-Sarimento moved his right arm from lower on his leg to a higher acute angle, indicating he was drawing a firearm. Screenshots in succession of CSPD Officer Conner Wallick’s body camera show Alex Martinez-Sarmiento holding his hands up (left) and then reaching into his pants (right) before running away on July 5, 2025. (Courtesy of the 4th Judicial District) Wallick fired his weapon three times and hit Martinez-Sarimento twice. The release stated medical aid was immediately initiated, but he was pronounced deceased at the scene. Wallick told investigators he did consider using a non-lethal weapon but was unable to do so, according to the release. He claimed a chemical spray would have gone into his face and he did not have time to holster his gun to use a Taser, which he said would not have stopped his arms. “I knew that he was either grabbing that gun to shoot me or shoot a civilian,grab them, take them as a hostage, or to go and carjack someone, and I couldn’t let that happen,” Wallick stated in an investigation interview. “Um, I was very scared that he was going to do that and hurt somebody else and hurt me.” The 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office found Wallick had an “objectively reasonable belief” that using non-lethal force was inadequate to address the posed threat. As part of the office’s justification, Wallick will not face any charges for the incident. He has been with the department for “approximately” six years, the release stated. ...read more read less