EUCLID, Ohio — Calling hours for Jacob Derbin, the Euclid police officer who was killed in the line of duty on Saturday night, took place on Friday in Middleburg Heights.
Derbin's funeral is set for Saturday at 11 a.m. at St. Columbkille Church on Broadview Road in Parma. The burial will be held following the service at St. Mary's Cemetery in Cuyahoga Heights.
WKYC will provide live coverage of the funeral starting at 10 a.m. with 3News' Russ Mitchell. In addition to coverage on TV, you can also watch officer Derbin's funeral streaming online at WKYC.com and on our YouTube channel.
The obituary for Derbin can be viewed HERE.
"That young man was an amazing person," Euclid Police Chief Scott Meyer said Friday. "He touched everybody. He was just an amazing, amazing soul. This is aside from being a police officer. There were a lot of people who knew him growing up — his family, those in the military. Everyone remembers him as being an incredible young man."
During calling hours, 3News spoke with the president of the funeral home Steve Ripepi, who was in a somber mood, telling us about his conversations with Officer Derbin's family
“Very emotional, trying to just make sure they can understand that this is their time and they can spend as much time as they can with their loved one,” he said.
Ripepi also spoke on the visitation itself.
"I think it was not necessary," he shared. "We shouldn't be here today at all. This is a sad day not only the Euclid Police Department, but everybody in the community and Cleveland itself.”
Blue ribbons and American flags adorning the street outside of the funeral home, and also the entire parking lot, including a giant 40-foot flag held up by the ladder of a Euclid Fire Department truck.
After exiting the visitation, Euclid Police Chief Scott Meyer said he's been overwhelmed by the community support.
"The support has just been phenomenal and it continues everyday,” he said.
“We’ve got to celebrate his amazing life and his life of service. That young man was an amazing, amazing person, 23-years-old. He showed up every day with a smile on his face, ready to work, always positive, ready to serve his community."
You can hear more from Meyer, as well as thoughts from Euclid Police Captain Mitch Houser and Euclid Mayor Kirsten Holzheimer Gail, in the below video. Officials also confirmed the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office and Ohio State Highway Patrol will handle all law enforcement duties in Euclid Saturday so members of the police department can attend the funeral.
On Monday, police departments from across Northeast Ohio gathered for a procession to take Officer Derbin from the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office in Cleveland to the funeral home in Middleburg Heights, with a stop by the Euclid Police Department. You can watch our coverage below.
Derbin joined the Euclid police force less than a year ago, following in the footsteps of his father, who also works as an officer with the department. The 23-year-old dedicated his life to public service and also served in the Army reserves.
Derbin had plans for the future, as his wedding was scheduled for July. But now his family, friends and loved ones are remembering his life and legacy.
“My heart absolutely breaks,” Meyer said during a press conference on Sunday night. “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."
The shooting happened on Saturday night after officers were dispatched to East 211th Street for an aggravated menacing report.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers went to check the backyard and were ambushed by gunfire from the suspect. Officer Derbin was shot and died as a result of his injuries.
Officers returned fire at the suspect, 24-year-old Deshawn Anthony Vaughn, but he fled the scene on foot. On Sunday, Vaughn was involved in an hours-long standoff in Shaker Heights, where he later died.
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