On July 26, 2026, at approximately 1:25 am, a Jefferson police officer attempted to stop a vehicle. The driver refused to stop and a pursuit ensued. A Greene County sheriff’s deputy responded to assist. The pursued driver lost control and entered the ditch near 245th and L Ave west of Jefferson. The driver immediately exited the vehicle, armed with a knife. When the driver advanced on the officer, the officer fired his weapon, striking the driver. The driver continued forward and stabbed the officer in the face.
Law enforcement attempted lifesaving measures on the driver at the scene, but he was later pronounced dead.
The officer was transported to Greene County Medical Center for medical care. The officer was treated and released. The officer has been placed on critical incident leave in accordance with Jefferson police department policy.
Agencies involved in the response to this incident included the Jefferson police department, the Greene County sheriff’s office, the Carroll County sheriff’s office, the Calhoun County sheriff’s office, the Jefferson fire department, Green County Ambulance, the Iowa State Patrol and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
At the request of the Greene County sheriff’s office, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is conducting the investigation into the shooting. Once the investigation is completed, the findings will be forwarded to the Greene County attorney’s office and the office of the Iowa attorney general for review. No further details will be released at this time.
