HARLAN, IOWA – Iowa police attempted to de-escalate an armed standoff in which a male pointed a rifle at them, leading to a fatal shot, and a tragic discovery.
On March 6, 2025, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) with an officer-involved shooting in Harlan, Iowa.
At approximately 4:30 AM on March 6th, Shelby County Sheriff Deputies responded to a welfare check near the 1800 block of College Place in Harlan. When law enforcement arrived, they encountered a male, later identified as David Plagmann (age 36), holding a rifle. Law enforcement attempted to deescalate the situation by negotiating with Plagmann for approximately 30 minutes.
During the negotiation, Plagmann pointed the rifle towards a Deputy, and was subsequently shot by law enforcement. Deputies and EMS immediately performed life-saving measures to Plagmann. Plagmann was transported to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.
While processing the scene, law enforcement subsequently located a deceased female, later identified as Alexis Martin (age 31). Current evidence suggests Plagmann was responsible for the death of Martin.
The officer involved in the shooting has been identified as Captain Chad Butler. Captain Butler is a 25-year veteran of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.
This is an ongoing criminal investigation, and no further details were released at this time. At the conclusion of the investigation, the DCI’s investigative findings will be reviewed by the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.