EUCLID, Ohio — Euclid police have confirmed to 3News that an officer died in the line of duty Saturday night.
Officers were responding to a disturbance in the 300 block of East 211th Street at approximately 9:56 p.m. While police investigated the call, a gunman shot the officer, in what was described as an "ambush," before leaving the scene.
The officer was taken to University Hospitals for treatment but he didn’t survive. In a statement, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost identified the officer as Jacob Derbin, a first-year officer with the Euclid Police Department.
"The killer who ambushed Officer Derbin will be found and will receive the full measure of justice," Yost said.
Residents who live on the street told 3News they heard "about 12 gunshots" during the incident.
UPDATE: Euclid police confirmed in a Sunday press conference that the suspect, 24-year-old Deshawn Anthony Vaughn, was found dead in a Shaker Heights apartment after an hours long standoff.
The Ohio BCI is assisting Euclid police with the active investigation.
"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's statement continued. "My heart burns with anger at this injustice, for the family of this young officer and the Euclid Police Department.”
"In the wake of the tragic loss of our dedicated officer, we find ourselves grappling with a profound sense of sorrow and disbelief," Euclid Mayor Kirsten Holzheimer Gail said in a statement. "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. 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."
***Photo of Deshawn Anthony Vaughn below provided by Euclid Police.
***Photo below provided by Ohio Attorney General Missing Persons Unit.
While at the shooting scene late Saturday night into early Sunday morning, 3News reporters observed police wearing tactical gear and using drones, a helicopter and a police dog to aid search efforts.
Euclid police released a statement early Sunday that read in part:
“The Euclid Police Department asks that you keep the fallen Officer, his family, loved ones, and our agency in your thoughts and prayers. Further details will be released in an appropriate manner.”
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