Ohio city fires officer who shot and killed 15-year-old, settles lawsuit with family
Officials in Akron, Ohio, have fired a police officer who shot and killed 15-year-old boy
ByThe Associated Press
August 14, 2026, 2:31 PM
AKRON, Ohio –Officials in Akron, Ohio, have fired a police officer who shot and killed 15-year-old boy while also announcing Friday that the city has agreed to pay $4.75 million to the teen’s family
The settlement, which still needs a judge’s approval, came after the family filed a lawsuit against the city
Police have said that Jazmir Tucker was carrying a loaded weapon when he was shot in November 2024. They said two officers heard gunshots, later spotted Tucker and ran after him before one fired multiple times
Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said Officer Davon Fields was fired for multiple policy violations, including failing to properly provide medical aid and violating the department’s policy for body-worn cameras. The mayor also cited other issues related to a separate criminal allegation involving Fields
“The loss of life and the circumstances in this case were absolutely tragic, with enormous human and financial costs,” Malik said in a statement. “We have a responsibility to make policy changes that reduce the likelihood of cases like this happening in the future.”
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The head of Akron’s police union called the firing unjust and said the officer was being used as a “political scapegoat.” The union plans to fight the firing, said Brian Lucey, president of the local Fraternal Order of Police
A grand jury decided against indicting the officer nearly a year ago
Weeks after the shooting, Akron’s mayor said the bodycam video of the shooting raised questions, including why officers didn’t immediately turn on their cameras and why it took so long to provide first aid
In the video, the shooting officer’s arms and long gun block his camera’s view, obscuring Tucker in the moments before he was shot. Another officer’s camera recorded police unzipping the jacket pocket of the wounded teenager and pulling out a handgun
Related Topics
- Police Shootings
