EL PASO COUNTY — The El Paso County Sheriff's Office (EPSO) has identified the two deputies who were involved in a shooting that sent a man to the hospital last week.
They are Deputy Chad Johnson, who has been employed with EPSO since 2013, and Sergeant Jared Harmon, who has been employed since 2004.
Background Information
A man was sent to the hospital after EPSO said two deputies opened fire on him after a call for a disturbance Tuesday morning.
EPSO said deputies responded to a call around 10 a.m. about a disturbance between a group along Chamberlin South in the Stratmoor Hills area. Deputies said one person was seen with a weapon during the altercation.
When the deputies arrived, EPSO said they came into contact with the armed person. The sheriff's office said two deputies fired at least one shot at the suspect and said he was hit at least once. EPSO could not give any details on why deputies opened fire on the man or if he flashed a weapon at them.
The sheriff's office said after the shooting the suspect stole an unmarked deputy vehicle. EPSO said deputies tracked the vehicle to the Sienna Place Apartments on East Cheyenne Road in Colorado Springs, about a 10-minute drive north. The sheriff's office said the suspect was taken into custody there and transported to a local hospital. It is unclear how the suspect was taken into custody at the apartment complex. EPSO said those details are part of the investigation.
EPSO reported a woman was injured at the initial location along Chamberlin South. Deputies said she was taken to the hospital and is in stable condition.
Dozens of people were crowded along Chamberlin South Tuesday morning as crime tape stretched across the neighborhood. Many of them said they were family members of the man who was shot. The suspect's aunt, Dianna Martinez, identified the man as Michael Martinez. She said their family had been trying to get him help and feared he had fallen back into his drug addiction.
"It's unfortunate. Like, we're not, we don't condone any of this behavior. But we know it stems from drug use," she said. "He was doing great, going to church, you know, doing his thing. And I don't know what happened, but he got back on drugs."
No deputies were injured in the incident. Per agency policy, the Colorado Springs Police Department will take over the shooting investigation.
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