IOWA CITY, IA — Iowa City police say two officers shot and killed a person who was threatening people with a knife Tuesday evening on Southgate Avenue. Officers were called to the 600 block of Southgate Avenue at about 5:36 p.m. after a report of someone armed with a knife and making threats.
When officers arrived, they saw the person with the knife making threatening statements and gestures, according to the department. During the encounter, two uniformed officers fired their weapons.
Police said officers immediately tried to help after the shooting by giving first aid and calling emergency medical services.
Emergency crews take the injured person to the hospital
The person was taken to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics with serious injuries, police said. The individual later died there.
Authorities did not identify the person in the initial release, and they did not say anything about a possible motive. Police also did not say whether anyone else was physically hurt during the incident.
The department said there is no ongoing threat to the general public. That message came after officers secured the scene and the immediate danger had passed.
How the confrontation unfolded on Southgate Avenue
According to Iowa City police, the incident began with a report that someone was threatening others while armed with a knife. Officers responded to the address in the 600 block of Southgate Avenue and then encountered the person believed to match that description.
Police said the person was making threatening statements and gestures when officers arrived. The department did not release details about what those statements were or what led up to the confrontation.
After the officers fired, they moved quickly to render aid and summon emergency responders, reflecting the department’s account of the scene as a rapidly escalating situation.
Two officers are on administrative leave after the shooting
Both officers involved have been placed on administrative leave, which Iowa City police said is done under department policy. The agency did not release their names.
Administrative leave is a standard step in many officer-involved shootings while investigators review the circumstances. Police did not discuss whether either officer had fired more than one shot or how many rounds were discharged.
The department has not provided additional information about the officers’ roles or their prior experience. Officials said the incident remains under review.
State investigators are reviewing the fatal police shooting
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is handling the inquiry into the shooting. That outside investigation is expected to examine the moments before officers opened fire, the use of force, and the medical response afterward.
Police have not announced a timeline for any findings. They also have not said when more information may be released to the public.
At this stage, the department’s main confirmed details are the time of the call, the location, the report of a knife threat, the officer-involved shooting, and the death of the person taken to the hospital.
What officials have confirmed so far about the Iowa City case
The case adds another officer-involved shooting to a careful review process that typically involves local police and state investigators. Iowa City police said their officers responded to a reported threat, confronted a person with a knife, and then fired when the situation escalated.
For now, authorities say there is no broader risk to residents. The neighborhood near Southgate Avenue is no longer described as an active scene.
More details will depend on the findings of the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation and any additional statements from Iowa City police.
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