In the early morning hours of Saturday, August 15, 2026, the city of Holyoke, Massachusetts, was disturbed by the sound of gunfire. At approximately 2:20 a.m., a ShotSpotter activation alerted the Holyoke Police Department to the incident near the intersection of High and Cabot streets. Upon their arrival, officers discovered a grim scene in a business parking lot: a man suffering from a gunshot wound. That man was identified as 47-year-old Alexis Colon, a resident of Holyoke. First responders immediately began to render aid to Colon before he was rushed by ambulance to Baystate Medical Center. Despite the efforts to save him, Alexis Colon succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the death of Alexis Colon was swift, with the Holyoke Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Hamden District Attorney's Office working in conjunction. Their around-the-clock efforts quickly led to a significant development in the case. A suspect was identified and apprehended. Jose Lopez-Rivera, a 36-year-old man also from Holyoke, was arrested in connection with the fatal shooting. The Hampden District Attorney's Office announced a series of serious charges against Lopez-Rivera, including murder, illegal possession of a firearm, assault with a dangerous weapon, and firing a gun within 500 feet of a building.
As the legal process begins for Jose Lopez-Rivera, who is presumed innocent until proven guilty, the community of Holyoke mourns the loss of Alexis Colon. Born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, on May 17, 1979, to Anselmo Colón and Carmen González, he was a man who had overcome significant health challenges in his youth. He was a graduate of the Porter and Chester Institute with a certificate in industrial, commercial, and residential electricity and had also taught mathematics at Holyoke Community College. His death has been described as a tragedy that has deeply affected his family, friends, and the wider community, serving as a stark reminder of the impact of gun violence. The investigation into the shooting remains ongoing as authorities continue to piece together the events that led to this violent end to a life.
