Akron fires officer who killed Jazmir Tucker, reaches tentative $4.75M settlement

Courts and JusticeThe City of Akron has announced it fired the officer who fatally shot Jazmir Tucker on Thanksgiving 2024. The city has also reached a tentative settlement with Tucker's family in a civil suit. Courtesy of the Tucker familyBy Lucas Daprile, cleveland.comcleveland.com Express DeskAKRON, Ohio — The City of Akron has announced it fired the police officer who fatally shot Jazmir Tucker and has reached a tentative $4.75 million settlement with the teen’s family in a federal wrongful death lawsuit.On Friday, Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said Officer Davon Fields was terminated after the city concluded he failed to properly provide medical aid after the shooting and violated the Akron Police Department’s body-worn camera policy. Malik’s decision is in contrast to a draft internal investigation that he said lacked credibility.“The draft internal investigation raised serious concerns with its analysis of the incident and conclusions unsupported by the weight of the evidence,” Malik said in a statement. “Therefore, I could not rely on the draft internal investigation to resolve the matter.”The city also announced it agreed to settle all claims brought by Tucker’s family for $4.75 million. The agreement was reached through a federal mediation process and remains subject to approval by a probate judge. “The family has always wanted more than money,” said attorney Robert Gresham, who is representing Tucker’s family. “They wanted answers. They wanted accountability and changes that might prevent another family from going through this.”City officials said the settlement contains no admission of wrongdoing. The announcements mark a significant development in a case that sparked protests and renewed scrutiny of police use-of-force practices in Akron.Tucker, a North High School freshman, was shot and killed on Thanksgiving night in 2024 after two officers investigating reports of gunfire encountered him near East Avenue and Vernon Odom Boulevard. Authorities later said officers found a handgun with an extended magazine zipped inside Tucker’s jacket pocket. Investigators also recovered shell casings matching Tucker’s firearm near the scene, authorities said.Body-camera footage released weeks after the shooting raised questions about the encounter because Fields and another officer did not activate their cameras before leaving their cruiser, resulting in no audio recording of the moments leading up to the shooting. Malik publicly questioned both the use of deadly force and the roughly eight-minute delay before officers rendered aid to Tucker. An autopsy later found Tucker was shot three times, including twice in the back. The Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office said two gunshot wounds to his torso were fatal. The medical examiner also said the injuries were so severe that faster medical intervention would not have changed the outcome. In a statement included in Friday’s release, Malik said he had concerns shortly after Tucker’s death, particularly regarding the delay in providing medical assistance. He said he reviewed the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s findings, a draft internal investigation and other records before determining Fields violated city policy and engaged in conduct unbecoming of a police officer. The city said another officer at the scene was disciplined for a separate body-worn camera policy violation. Officials did not elaborate on that discipline in Friday’s release. Fields was placed on administrative leave after the shooting. In October 2025, a Summit County grand jury declined to charge him in Tucker’s death after prosecutors presented the case. Tucker’s family filed a federal wrongful death lawsuit in November 2025, alleging Fields used excessive force and violated police policies, including requirements on body-camera activation and rendering aid. Akron Law Director Brian Angeloni said the settlement minimizes the financial cost and emotional burden of prolonged litigation. He expressed sympathy for Tucker’s family. “No settlement can change the profound impact that Mr. Tucker’s death has had on his family, loved ones, and the broader community,” Angeloni said. Malik said the shooting carried “enormous human and financial costs” and said the city must continue pursuing reforms aimed at reducing the chances of similar incidents occurring in the future. Along with Friday’s disciplinary announcement, Akron officials unveiled changes to the city’s internal review process for use-of-force incidents. Chief of Public Safety Craig Morgan said the city is implementing a new model for investigating use-of-force cases, establishing a Critical Incident Review Board and requiring independent reviews by the chief of police and chief of public safety before deadly force investigations are closed. Earlier this year, Akron released an independent review by the Police Executive Research Forum examining departmental use-of-force policies. City officials said 18 of the report’s 58 recommendations have already been implemented. “At the end of the day, this is about a 15-year-old child who should still be here,” Gresham said. “Again, the settlement is significant and the city’s decision to terminate Fields is significant, but the family’s hope is that Jasmine’s legacy ultimately becomes something larger.”Gregory Beck, an attorney representing Fields in the civil case, declined to comment. Lucas Daprile is a news reporter focusing on courts for cleveland.com and the Plain Dealer. He also writes a satirical advice column, Ask Lucas, typically once per week. He is a Northeast Ohio native who...This article was produced with assistance from AI tools and reviewed by Cleveland.com staff.