EUCLID, Ohio — Euclid police officer Jacob Derbin is being remembered for “his kind heart and enormous smile” after he was shot and killed while responding to a call on Saturday night.
“The world was a better place with him in it, and he will be desperately missed by all who knew him,” said Euclid Police Chief Scott Meyer during a press conference Sunday night.
Chief Meyer said officer Derbin had been sworn into the Euclid Police Department on July 24, 2023, serving his community with dedication, honor and professionalism.
“My heart absolutely breaks,” Chief Meyer said. “He’s 23 years old. I want the public to understand what this looks like. I want them to understand the repercussions of this violence. It is absolutely disgusting and it is affecting us all. My heart breaks.”
Chief Meyer also said that Derbin’s father is currently a Euclid police officer.
“I am so incredibly proud of our Euclid police officers. I am every day,” he said. “I go to bed every night hoping that I won’t get this information. My worst nightmare has come true.”
We’ve learned officer Derbin was engaged with wedding plans for this summer.
“I don’t want to lose the fact that we have a 23-year-old human being," Chief Meyer continued. "Jacob, I could count on him every single time to do the right thing, make the right decision. He was kind. He was compassionate. He was tactically sound, I don’t want anybody to think that he wasn’t. I was just in service firearms training with him within the last six months. So he was very proficient, he could handle those things. But he was a gentle giant. He loved public service. This somebody who is still in the Army Reserves, who served his country. Public service meant everything to him. He was kind of a happy-go-lucky kind of a guy. He just loved public service and loved being here. He was that rare find. I’m devastated and his family is obviously devastated."
It was at 9:56 p.m. Saturday night when officers were dispatched to East 211th Street for an aggravated menacing report.
“The complainant stated that her child’s father threatened to harm her and her mother,” Chief Meyer explained. “Officers arrived and spoke to the complainant who stated that the suspect was on foot and possibly nearby. Officers went to check the back yard and were ambushed by gunfire from the suspect.”
Chief Meyer said officers returned fire and the suspect -- identified as 24-year-old Deshawn Anthony Vaughn -- fled the scene on foot.
Officer Derbin was shot and succumbed to his injuries.
On Sunday, police said Vaughn was involved in an hours-long standoff with authorities in Shaker Heights. He was later reported dead at that scene. The investigation has been turned over to Ohio BCI.