The Iowa Attorney General’s Office has concluded that a Shelby County deputy was legally justified in the fatal March 6 shooting of a Harlan man, following an independent review by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI). Law enforcement responded to a 911 call for a welfare check at 4:45 a.m. after David Robert Plagmann posted a disturbing photo online. A friend arrived at Plagmann’s home in the 1800 block of College Place and noticed blood outside. When deputies arrived, Plagmann, who was armed with a rifle, refused repeated commands to drop the weapon and threatened to take his own life. Despite the deputy’s continued efforts to de-escalate, Plagmann eventually pointed the rifle at the deputy. A backup officer across the street then fired, fatally striking Plagmann. Officers rendered aid, but he was later pronounced dead at a hospital. Investigators later discovered Plagmann’s girlfriend, 31-year-old Alexis Martin, shot to death in a nearby vehicle, multiple 9mm shell casings in the garage, and additional evidence in a backyard burn pit. Attorney General Brenna Bird’s office determined the officer acted with legal justification, citing an immediate threat to the deputy and public safety. A link to the complete report is included below.
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