At approximately 10:28pm on November 11th, 2023, Keokuk Police Officers were dispatched to 3405 South 7th Steet in reference to a subject discharging a firearm towards a group of people.
Officers arrived on scene and learned that a male subject, identified as Martin Alvarez, 37, of Keokuk, had armed himself with a rifle and fired the rifle multiple times in the air, at windows of his residence at 3405 South 7th Street, towards a wooded area, towards South 7th Street, and in the general vicinity of a group of individuals on his property. The group of individuals were not on the property unlawfully. Alvarez then went into his residence with the rifle.
At that time, the Iowa State Patrol and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene to assist the Keokuk Police Department during this incident.
Officers attempted to make contact with Alvarez multiple times with no success.
The Keokuk Police Department then applied for, and received, a search warrant for the residence. An armored vehicle was requested from the Iowa State Patrol to be utilized in the service of a search warrant. Once the vehicle arrived, an approach was made to the residence. The offices employed the armored vehicle’s public announcement system to make contact with Alvarez, who then surrendered at that time without further incident.
A search of the residence was conducted, and multiple items of evidentiary value were collected.
Martin Alvarez was arrested and charged with Intimidation with a Dangerous Weapon, a class C felony, and Reckless Use of a Firearm, a simple misdemeanor.
There were no physical injuries related to the discharge of the firearm reported.
The Iowa State Patrol, Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lee County Consolidated Dispatch assisted the Keokuk Police Department during this investigation.