Nearly two years after a Thanksgiving-night shooting that left 15-year-old Jazmir Tucker dead, the debate over Officer Davon Fields' employment status with the Akron Police Department remains unresolved. Tensions escalated this week after the president of Akron Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 7 accused Mayor Shammas Malik of attempting to force the officer out despite a grand jury decision not to indict.
Union alleges political pressure
Brian Lucey, head of the local FOP lodge, released a detailed statement on Wednesday asserting the mayor is pursuing Field's termination regardless of the outcomes of a citizen grand jury and the department’s internal review. Lucey suggested the mayor is seeking repeated reviews until he obtains what Lucey called a predetermined political outcome.
"Mayor Shammas Malik is trying to fire an Akron police officer an independent citizen grand jury cleared. The grand jury didn't give the mayor the answer he wanted. His own police department's internal investigation didn't either. So now, he's ordering do-over investigations until somebody hands him the political outcome he decided on long ago. The FOP won't let that stand."
The union president said his views are based on what he characterized as circulating rumors that he expects to become reality. He declined to provide additional documentation with his public comments but framed the situation as an example of political pressure on rank-and-file officers.
What the public record shows
During a foot chase near Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts in November 2024, Officer Fields shot and killed Tucker. Body-worn camera footage released previously shows Tucker struck three times, including two shots to the back, and depicts a rifle shake. Records indicate Fields told investigators he believed Tucker was reaching for his waistband before the shooting.
A firearm was located inside a zippered pocket of Tucker's jacket, according to investigators. Tucker's family and their attorneys have publicly disputed the justification for the shooting and have urged city officials to terminate Fields' employment, arguing the force used was not justified.
Legal and administrative steps taken
In October 2025, a citizen grand jury reviewed the case and declined to return an indictment against Fields on a charge of murder. The Akron Police Department also conducted an internal administrative review of the incident; according to the union's statement, that review did not yield the result Mayor Malik sought.
Since the grand jury decision, public officials, community members and legal representatives for Tucker's family have continued to press for accountability. The union's public remarks suggest the conflict is no longer limited to legal forums and administrative files but has entered the political arena of city governance.
Local reaction and implications
- Community trust: The ongoing dispute risks further straining relations between residents and the police department, particularly among families and neighborhoods calling for stricter accountability.
- City governance: If the mayor moves forward with personnel action, it could prompt legal challenges from the union and complicate labor relations within the department.
- Legal process: With a grand jury and internal review completed, additional administrative actions would likely involve renewed internal investigations or disciplinary proceedings, each with their own timelines and standards of proof.
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| Nov. 2024 | Shooting of Jazmir Tucker during foot chase |
| Oct. 2025 | Citizen grand jury declines to indict Officer Fields |
| Aug. 2026 | Union accuses mayor of seeking Fields' termination |
Attorneys for Tucker's family have been publicly critical of the department's handling of the case. One counsel told reporters last winter that "hopping out of cruisers with assault rifles and gunning down 15-year-olds is not protecting and serving," underscoring the emotional and legal stakes for the family and the broader community.
City Hall has not released a formal response to the union president’s statement as of Wednesday. Any move by the mayor to seek termination of a sworn officer would set off a series of administrative and possibly legal steps, and is likely to draw attention from both community activists and law enforcement groups statewide.
For Akron residents, the situation raises immediate questions about how local officials balance public safety, police accountability and due process when a use-of-force incident results in the death of a teenager. The debate is likely to continue as the city, the police union and Tucker’s family press their respective positions.
