‘Drop the knife!’: Polk County deputy shoots, kills armed Davenport man charging toward him

The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after Deputy Gregory Streeter shot and killed a 37-year-old man he says charged at him with a knife. 

It happened on Tuesday around 10:30 p.m. at a home located at County Road 547 North in unincorporated Davenport. 

According to PCSO, a 911 caller stated that Gilberto Martinez-Nava choked his ex-wife during an argument, armed himself with a knife, and became increasingly hostile and irrational after family members got the woman away from him.

As deputies were on the way, dispatch told them that Martinez-Nava was very agitated and was pacing in and out of the house. He was described as being suicidal and posing a danger to the family. 

According to PCSO, an elderly woman answered when Streeter knocked on a side door and he saw Martinez-Nava about 10-15 feet behind her.

PCSO says when Martinez-Nava saw Streeter, he charged at him while holding the knife at shoulder height, with the blade pointed up and toward the deputy. 

Streeter yelled, "Drop the knife! Drop the knife!" but Martinez-Nava refused and continued to close the gap between the two men. PCSO says the deputy, who feared for his own life and safety, shot Martinez-Nava, causing him to fall to the ground, still holding the knife. 

Streeter radioed that shots had been fired and life-saving measures were performed until Polk County Fire Rescue arrived, according to PCSO.

Martinez-Nava was taken to an area hospital, where he died about an hour later. Streeter was not injured. 

According to PCSO, the investigation shows that the deputy fired four shots; there were three gunshot wounds to Martinez-Nava’s torso, and one to his arm. 

Several suicide notes were found in Martinez-Nava’s clothes, according to PCSO.

"The deputy didn’t choose to shoot Mr. Martinez-Nava…Mr. Martinez-Nava chose to make the deputy shoot him," said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. "Our deputy arrived to keep the family safe, which is ultimately what happened…just not the way we wanted." 

Standard protocol for all deputy-involved shootings will include four independent investigations and the members involved will be on administrative leave with pay during the initial phase of the investigation.

UPDATES: Get news alerts and updates in the free FOX 13 News app