An Escambia County Sheriff’s deputy who was shot and injured while responding to a domestic violence call of a woman being held hostage by her boyfriend in Pensacola in 2015, has died from cancer that his family says was a result of the incident.
Jeremy Cassady, 50, “passed very peacefully at home with family” in Milton on Tuesday night, July 15.
His sister, Dana Cassady, said he died of oral throat cancer that was related to the anti-rejection drugs he took after he had a kidney/pancreas transplant a year after the shooting.
“He has been through a lot the last 15 years, a kidney transplant, and the kidney stopped working about six years ago and had to come out,” Dana said. “He and his wife did dialysis at home every morning and he went on about his day as normal people would, but he was tired of fighting on this one. There was no winning it.”
Cassady was seriously injured while responding to a home invasion at Jacqueline Rosenbloom’s house on Baywind Circle on Oct. 29, 2010.
He was one of three deputies shot by Rosenbloom’s ex-boyfriend Philip Monier, who allegedly broke into the home to confront her and demand the return of a ring he had given her.
Rosenbloom called 911 and the deputies who responded were reportedly told that Philip Monier had forced his way into the home, kicked down Rosenbloom’s bedroom door and was holding her hostage armed with a gun.
Gunfire was exchanged during the incident. Several deputies were shot along with Rosenbloom, who was shot five times by deputies and later reached a $975,000 settlement with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Monier was not shot and eventually surrendered. He was later convicted of multiple counts of attempted murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Cassady’s injuries were severe enough to force his medical retirement, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
“In that domestic violence situation, bullets went through his vest, like through where the vest had velcroed and couldn’t come out,” Dana said. “They really did a lot of damage internally.”
Cassady’s sister says he loved being a police officer, like their father, Henry Cassady, who was a highly decorated officer with the Pensacola Police Department and died a year and a half ago.
The family says Jeremy lived a “pretty normal life” on his property in Milton where he had cows and enjoyed the rural life with his wife and family, until he was diagnosed with cancer that would eventually take his life.
They were especially touched by the deputies who visited them after he passed on Tuesday night.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Cassady Family on the loss of retired Deputy Jeremy Cassady,” Escambia Sheriff Chip Simmons said. “I have been friends with the Cassady Family for many years. Jeremy and his dad Henry provided decades of service to our community.”
Dana said her brother will be remembered as a funny, gregarious guy with a heart of gold who “lived life to the fullest” and was “extremely brave through these battles.”
They are currently planning for his funeral.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Escambia Deputy Jeremy Cassady, shot during hostage call, dies of cancer 15 years later
Reporting by Mollye Barrows, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
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