ALLIANCE, Ohio — Authorities have identified the man who died in Tuesday afternoon’s officer-involved shooting on Johnson Avenue as Joseph Derrico Jr., 64, of Alliance.
Derrico was fatally shot during a confrontation with police in an apartment complex parking lot. Officers had attempted to stop him while investigating an earlier incident involving a firearm at an Alliance car dealership.
Alliance Police Chief Akenra X said three officers were involved. One deployed a Taser, and the other two fired their weapons. None of the officers was injured.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting.
What led to the shooting
The events began around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at Wally Armour’s car dealership, where Derrico allegedly argued with employees and displayed a handgun, according to X.
“It appears that the suspect went to Wally Armour’s car dealership and headed out with some of the employees, and at one point brandished a handgun, and that’s why we were called,” X told reporters Tuesday evening.
The chief said Derrico allegedly displayed the weapon before leaving the business.
Authorities have not explained what caused the argument or identified the other people involved. Police also have not said whether Derrico directly threatened anyone.
Officers later spotted a vehicle believed to be connected to the dealership incident near Buckeye Avenue.
“They came across his vehicle somewhere around Buckeye, and turned on him and lit him up, and he refused to stop for the traffic stop and pulled in here,” X said.
Derrico did not immediately stop for police. He continued a short distance before driving into an apartment complex parking lot on Johnson Avenue, where officers approached his vehicle.
Confrontation ends in gunfire
Because Derrico had reportedly displayed a handgun at the dealership, officers ordered him to place his hands on the roof of his vehicle, X said.
According to the chief, Derrico refused those commands and apparently opened the vehicle’s door.
An officer deployed a Taser, but X said it did not appear to have the intended effect.
“Refused to comply, and at one point he was tased and didn’t seem to respond to that, and then he reached around and came up with the gun,” X said.
Two officers then fired their weapons, striking Derrico.
Investigators recovered a firearm at the scene, but several questions remain unanswered, including whether Derrico discharged his weapon.
“It appears that he may have fired one, but we’re not certain yet, and we’ll wait for BCI to determine that,” X said.
Police also have not established the total number of shots fired during the confrontation.
“The total of three officers: one with a taser, two with weapons, and I can’t tell you how many shots were fired at this time,” the chief said.
All three officers escaped injury.
Neighbor describes frightening moments
James Starkey was working in his garage near the apartment complex when he heard sirens and gunfire.
“I was just in the garage trying to, you know, clean up and stuff, and saw the cops fly down, sirens and gunshots, and I ran inside,” Starkey told Jordan Miller News.
Although he had a general idea of where the shots originated, Starkey said he could not tell who was firing.
He went inside his home and retrieved his own firearm because he was concerned about his safety.
“I ran inside and grabbed my own firearm just in case. But you never know,” he said.
Starkey believes he heard about eight shots before getting inside.
“I counted eight before I got back in the house. I think it was eight,” he said.
The shots came in quick succession, he recalled.
“One right after the other. It was intense. It was fast and it was repetitive.”
His estimate has not been independently verified, and investigators have not confirmed how many rounds were fired.
Starkey has lived in the neighborhood for three years. He said the number of responding police officers was unlike anything he had previously experienced there.
“Absolutely, it was insane. The response was fast, and it was — there was a lot,” Starkey said.
Derrico remembered as a friendly neighbor
Starkey said he was briefly acquainted with Derrico and had never personally experienced problems with him.
“He was an older gentleman, friendly to me anyway. Never really caused any problems that I know of to us, but who knows?” he said.
Learning about the circumstances police described was difficult for Starkey to comprehend.
“No, especially a neighbor, like I’ve known him. But I mean, no, I could never. It’s hard to fathom.”
Starkey made clear that he knew Derrico only briefly and had no firsthand knowledge of what happened earlier at the dealership.
X said Tuesday evening that he believed Derrico lived in one of the apartments at the complex.
Chief discusses officers’ response
During his remarks Tuesday, X was asked whether officers could have taken a different course of action before using deadly force.
He said he believed officers had tried to gain Derrico’s compliance through verbal commands and a Taser before the shooting occurred.
“I don’t think it could have been. He was given verbal commands. He was tased, and none of those things brought compliance. And then he reached for a gun, so he really left the officers no choice,” X said.
The chief’s statements represent a preliminary police account. BCI will investigate the circumstances of the shooting, including Derrico’s actions and the officers’ use of force.
X also acknowledged the loss of life and the impact the incident could have on both Derrico’s family and the officers involved.
“It’s sad. Any time a human being loses his life, it’s sad. We regret that. We regret the situation to our officers and what they’re going to go through, and most importantly, we’re sorry for the family members,” he said.
Questions remain as BCI investigates
State investigators are working to establish how many shots were fired and whether Derrico discharged his firearm during the encounter.
The officers’ identities have not been released.
Alliance Police Capt. Don Wensel previously told Jordan Miller News that all three officers have approximately three years of experience with the department.
Authorities have not provided further information about Derrico’s alleged involvement in the dealership altercation or whether he had previous encounters with law enforcement.
The investigation is ongoing.
