GREENE COUNTY — An Iowa law enforcement officer was stabbed in the face by a knife-wielding driver moments after the officer shot the man during a confrontation that followed an early-morning pursuit, state investigators said.
The deadly encounter unfolded at approximately 1:25 a.m. Sunday, July 26, 2026, after a Jefferson Police Department officer attempted to stop a vehicle for an undisclosed reason.
The driver refused to stop, launching a pursuit as the Greene County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist, according to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
The fleeing vehicle eventually went out of control and crashed into a ditch near the intersection of 245th Street and L Avenue in rural Greene County.
Investigators said the driver immediately climbed out of the wrecked vehicle carrying a knife and advanced toward an officer. The officer fired, striking the driver, but the gunfire did not immediately stop the alleged attack.
The wounded driver continued forward and stabbed the officer in the face, according to the DCI.
Law enforcement officers attempted lifesaving measures on the driver at the scene, but he was later pronounced dead. Authorities had not released his name as of Sunday.
The injured officer was transported to Greene County Medical Center, where he was treated and released. The officer’s name and employing agency were not disclosed in the initial state release.
The officer has been placed on critical-incident leave in accordance with department policy while the shooting is investigated.
Sunday’s fatal confrontation bears similarities to another officer-involved shooting in Greene County less than 11 months ago.
On September 6, 2025, an 18-year-old Boone man, Camryn Stonehocker, led officers on a pursuit from Boone County into Greene County. State officials said Stonehocker emerged from his stopped vehicle with a knife and advanced on officers before a Boone police officer shot him.
The Iowa Attorney General’s Office later concluded that officers were legally justified in that shooting. The two incidents are separate, and authorities have not indicated any connection between them.
The DCI is conducting the investigation into Sunday’s shooting at the request of the Greene County Sheriff’s Office. Once completed, the investigative findings will be forwarded to the Greene County Attorney’s Office and the Iowa Attorney General’s Office for review.
The Jefferson Police Department, Greene County Sheriff’s Office, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson Fire Department, Greene County Ambulance, Iowa State Patrol and DCI participated in the response.
Investigators have not yet disclosed why officers initially attempted to stop the vehicle, how long the pursuit lasted, how many shots were fired or whether law enforcement body-camera or vehicle-camera footage captured the confrontation.
The DCI said no further details would be released at this time.