ODMP - Law Officer Volume 4 Issue 4 On Feb. 29, Cleveland (Ohio) Police Department Officer Derek Owens was shot and killed as he and his partner chased four suspects in southeast Cleveland. The 36-year-old officer and his partner had observed the four men drinking beer in an abandoned lot and approached to speak to them. The men fled on foot, and the officers pursued. One of the suspects produced a handgun and opened fire, striking Owens once in the abdomen, below his vest.
Other officers transported Owens to a local hospital in the back of a patrol car. He succumbed to his injuries shortly after midnight while undergoing surgery.
All four suspects were taken into custody following a house-to-house search in the area.
Officer Owens had served with the Cleveland Police Department for 10 years. He is survived by his wife and two children.
This information was provided by the Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc., a non-profit organization dedicated to honoring America’s fallen law enforcement officers. For more information on this incident, other line-of-duty death reports and law enforcement memorials, visit www.odmp.org.