Family of Ohio officer shot, killed in line of duty sues city, police chief

The 23-year-old had been a Euclid police officer for less than a year when he was killed.

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Dawn Derbin, Jacob’s mother and Estate Administrator, said the trust her son had in the system “failed him.”

“After Jacob’s death, and as the investigation and follow-up by EPD unfolded, it became clear that his department had failed him long before he was shot. It also became clear that the investigation left many important questions unanswered about why and how he died,” Dawn Derbin said, according to WOIO, a CBS affiliate in Cleveland.

The lawsuit, which was announced on the second anniversary of his death, alleges that the Euclid Police Department (EPD) failed to “adequately prepare him and fellow officers, and after dispatch officials and EPD supervisors failed to properly initiate a safe call response.”

The suit claims that Chagrin Valley Dispatch left out critical details when sending officers to the home.

It also claims that shift supervisors failed to properly instruct Derbin and two other responding officers on the handling of the call. It added that the responding officers were not veterans, and they knew the suspect was a known violent felon.

Derbin was shot after walking into the backyard of the home alone with only a flashlight in his hand, WOIO reported.

The lawsuit goes on to claim that other officers at the scene shot in Derbin’s direction, creating a crossfire.

He was hit seven times, but it remains unclear if all of those shots were from the suspect, according to WOIO.

Among other claims in the lawsuit, is the claim that other officers at the scene failed to render aid and waited approximately nine minutes to move Derbin away from danger so that first aid could be rendered by EMS.

In a statement to WOIO earlier this week, Chargin Valley Dispatch said they hadn’t been served with a complaint at that time and that they do not comment on pending or threatened litigation.

Jacqueline Greene, partner at FG+G and counsel for Derbin’s estate, told WOIO that the process of service was ongoing.

Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 18 released the following statement to WOIO:

<i>The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 18 stands firmly behind the officers and supervisors of the Euclid Police Department following the filing of a civil lawsuit arising from the tragic line-of-duty death of Officer Jacob James Derbin.</i>

<i>Officer Derbin was killed on May 11, 2024, while responding to a violent threats call involving an armed and dangerous suspect. His death was a devastating loss to his family, the Euclid Police Department, the law enforcement profession, and the entire community.</i>

<i>“Jacob Derbin was exactly the kind of officer every community hopes to have protecting them,” said Jeff Herold, President of FOP Lodge 18. “He answered a dangerous call</i>

<i>without hesitation because someone needed help. That courage cost him his life. Our members continue to mourn Jacob as a brother, friend, and fellow officer."</i>

<i>The lawsuit attempts to assign blame to responding officers and supervisors who were forced to make split-second decisions during an unfolding and highly dangerous situation involving a violent offender. Lodge 18 strongly rejects the suggestion that the officers who responded that night acted with anything other than professionalism, courage, and commitment to protecting others.</i>

<i>Law enforcement officers routinely respond to unpredictable and rapidly evolving situations where information is incomplete, conditions are chaotic, and the threat of violence can emerge instantly. Even calls that initially appear routine can turn deadly within seconds.</i>

<i>“This case is a painful reminder of the dangers police officers willingly face every single day,” said Jay McDonald, President of the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio. “The men and women who responded that night were confronted with a violent suspect determined to do harm. They responded to protect innocent people and their fellow officers under circumstances most people will thankfully never experience.”</i>

<i>Independent investigations were conducted following Officer Derbin’s death, including reviews by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the grand jury process. Those investigations concluded that the suspect who ambushed officers and opened fire was solely responsible for Officer Derbin’s death.</i>

<i>Lodge 18 emphasized that no amount of training, equipment, or preparation can completely eliminate the dangers officers face when confronting violent offenders.</i>

<i>“Police officers do not get the benefit of hindsight in these moments,” Herold said. “They are required to make immediate decisions under extreme stress while trying to protect lives, including each other’s. The officers who responded that night did exactly what they were sworn to do: they answered the call and faced danger head-on.”</i>

<i>The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 18 will continue to support the officers involved, defend the integrity of the Euclid Police Department, and honor the legacy and sacrifice of Officer Jacob James Derbin.</i>

<i>“Jacob’s memory deserves to be honored with truth, perspective, and recognition of the extraordinary risks law enforcement officers face,” McDonald added. “His sacrifice should never be forgotten.”</i>

<i>Rest in peace, Officer Jacob James Derbin. Your service and sacrifice will always be remembered.</i>

—  Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 18

As previously reported, the suspect in the disturbance case, DeShawn Vaught, was found dead in a Shaker Heights home the same night as the shooting that killed Derbin.

Vaughn’s death followed an hours-long SWAT situation and a shelter-in-place order in the area.

The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner later announced he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, WOIO reported.

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