Suspect in fatal shooting of Ohio police officer dead after standoff: What we know

Gabe Hauari and April Helms, USA TODAY NETWORK
·4 min read

The man suspected of fatally shooting an Ohio police officer died after a standoff with a SWAT team that started Sunday afternoon.

Deshawn Anthony Vaughn, 24, is suspected of shooting Euclid police officer Jacob Derbin, 23, after police were called to a residence on the 300 block of East 211th St. just before 10 p.m. Saturday for a disturbance, according to News 5 Cleveland.

"This is my worst nightmare come true," Euclid Police Chief Scott Meyer said during a press conference Sunday evening. He added that Derbin's father also is a Euclid police officer, and that the younger Derbin was engaged.

"His kind heart and his enormous smile were infectious," the chief said. "He will be desperately missed by all those who knew him."

Deadly shooting: 3 dead, nearly 20 injured after shooting at May Day party in Stockton, Alabama: Police

What happened during Sunday's standoff?

Multiple police agencies closed down the area of Lee Road and Van Aken Boulevard due to SWAT activity starting at around 1:45 p.m. Sunday, according to Akron Beacon Journal partner News 5 Cleveland. The Greater Cleveland RTA also suspended Blue Line service. The Akron Beacon Journal is part of the USA TODAY network.

U.S. Marshal Pete Elliot said during the press conference that the suspect was believed to be heavily harmed and "had a very violent, violent history." Law enforcement was able to evacuate the people at the apartment complex where Vaughn had been found, and no other injuries were reported from the standoff. Vaughn was later found dead in one of the apartments.

Meyer said that officers had been called after a woman called, saying that the father of her child, Vaughn, was threatening to harm them. Meyer said she "was extremely terrified." When officers responded, Vaughn opened fire on them and shot Derbin. No other officers were injured. Euclid officers returned fire, but Vaughn ran away.

Derbin was transported to the hospital where he later died from his injuries.

Meyer said authorities were still piecing together the series of events in the standoff and that more information would be released in the future as more is known.

Shaker Heights Police Chief Wayne Hudson said the crime scene was secure and the case was still being investigated.

"To kill a law enforcement officer is to tear the fabric of democracy," Hudson said.

Prominent figures in Ohio react to the fatal officer involved shooting

Euclid mayor Kirsten Holzheimer Gail encouraged the community to come together in solidarity and support in a statement Sunday.

In the wake of the tragic loss of our dedicated officer, we find ourselves grappling with a profound sense of sorrow and disbelief.

"This moment calls for us, as a community, to come together in solidarity and support, not only to honor a hero who selflessly served and protected us but also to offer strength to one another in this time of grief," her statement reads. "Let us unite in remembrance and gratitude for the sacrifice made, and pledge to uphold the values of compassion, resilience, and community spirit that this devastating loss so poignantly reminds us of."

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost issued a statement Sunday saying that "the promise to protect is signed with the blood of our officers" and that "the killer who ambushed Officer Derbin will be found and will receive the full measure of justice."

"It is a cruel irony that a mother lost her son on Mother’s Day, and that this murder happened just as we prepare to solemnize our fallen during Police Memorial Week," Yost said in the statement. "My heart burns with anger at this injustice, for the family of this young officer and the Euclid Police Department.”

Yost said the Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the incident.

"My prayers are with the family of Euclid Police Officer Jacob Derbin, who was killed in the line of duty," said Rep. Shontel Brown, who serves Ohio's 11th Congressional District, on social media. "This tragic loss is a reminder of the risks that local law enforcement take every day. May God give strength to his family and the Euclid community at this time."

Reporter April Helms can be reached at ahelms@thebeaconjournal.com

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari or email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Euclid police officer Jacob Derbin killed, manhunt for suspect over