Romanucci & Blandin Calls Chicago Police Shooting Death of Derek Jordan a “Failure to De-escalate"

Legal Team Conducting a Civil Investigation

CHICAGO (May 8, 2026) – The civil rights legal team at Romanucci & Blandin, after viewing the body-worn camera footage of the March 9, 2026, shooting death of Derek Jordan of Chicago by a Chicago Police Officer, says the loss of life was unnecessary and was due to the Officer’s “failure to de-escalate.” Multiple videos and angles of the encounter were released to the public today by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA). Romanucci & Blandin attorneys, who represent Derek’s family, have viewed the footage and commenced a civil investigation.

The investigation will examine the facts of Derek’s encounter with CPD officers in the Humboldt Park neighborhood at approximately 5:30 pm that evening, as well as an earlier incident on the Eisenhower Expressway that CPD says was related to their approach to a vehicle Jordan was driving. The video shows that immediately before shots were fired, multiple officers had Derek surrounded, and he did not present an imminent danger to them, yet instead of de-escalating the situation, an Officer fired six shots. Derek died of his injuries. Attorneys will evaluate the sequence of events in light of reasonable policing policies and practices.

Four days after the deadly shooting, the officer who fired his weapon at Jordan was relieved of his police powers. It‘s unclear if that decision was because of the Derek Jordan killing or something else. 

The family of Derek Jordan is represented by Founding Partner Antonio M. Romanucci, Partner John R. Gorey and Senior Attorney Maura D. White of Romanucci & Blandin, LLC.

 “Video does not lie. When you watch the footage of the encounter between Derek Jordan and CPD officers, it is clear that there was nowhere Derek could run or drive away to. They had him surrounded. At that point, stepping back and de-escalating was the right thing for officers to do. They had time and space to control the situation, but instead they escalated it and used a level of force that was not needed in that situation. We are distressed by the lack of respect shown for the life of this individual, but also for the lack of adherence to accepted policing protocols,” said Antonio M. Romanucci, Founding Partner of Romanucci & Blandin.

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact Romanucci & Blandin for a confidential conversation at 312-458-1000 or intakes@rblaw.net.

About Romanucci & Blandin, LLC

Romanucci & Blandin is a Chicago-based national trial practice committed to fighting for victims of negligence, abuse and wrongful death. For nearly 30 years, we have secured more than $1 billion in verdicts and settlements for our clients - many for millions of dollars and others record-setting awards. Our experience ranges from mass shootings, civil rights and police misconduct to medical malpractice, sexual abuse, motor vehicle accidents or workplace injury cases involving individual or institutional negligence. Romanucci & Blandin is a valuable legal resource to individuals and groups of people who have been injured by others’ wrongdoing. Referring attorneys and clients say several factors differentiate our firm: Our record of success, depth of experience, talented and dedicated legal team, tireless preparation and strategic use of communications to fight for the rights of those whose lives have been changed forever. We are different from other personal injury firms in that our work does not stop when a verdict or settlement is secured. We are often inspired by our clients’ experiences and commit resources to create change in our communities. For more information about Romanucci & Blandin, please visit www.rblaw.net or call (312) 458-1000.