Cleveland Police Shoot and Kill 12-Year-Old Tamir Rice

Jul 7, 2022:

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/3549624-officer-who-fatally-shot-tamir-rice-withdraws-from-small-town-police-force

Dec 29, 2020:

May 30, 2017:

Timothy Loehmann, the police officer who shot and killed Tamir Rice, was fired by the Cleveland police department for failing to disclose information on his application for employment with the Cleveland police department.

Loehmann failed to disclose that the Independence police department, where he worked as an officer just before being hired in Cleveland, had determined he was unfit to be a police officer and that he was allowed to resign. Loehmann also failed to disclose that he had failed a written exam when applying to work as an officer in Maple Heights.

Nov 30, 2016:

In Cleveland, Ohio, Judge Anthony J. Russo approved the $6 million settlement between the city of Cleveland and the family of Tamir Rice.

Apr 25, 2015:

A settlement was reached in the lawsuit filed by the family of Tamir Rice against the city of Cleveland and the officers involved in the November 22, 2014 shooting death of Tamir Rice. The city of Cleveland will pay $6 million to the family of Tamir Rice ($3 million this year and $3 million in 2017). The settlement must be approved by a Cuyahoga County Probate Court judge before it's official.

Dec 28, 2015:

In Ohio, after weeks of testimony a grand jury cleared Officer Timothy Loehmann and Officer Frank Garmback in the fatal shooting of Tamir Rice on November 14, 2014.

Oct 10, 2015:

The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office released two reports based on investigations by two outside reviews into the shooting death of Tamir Rice. Both reports concluded that Officer Timothy Loehmann, who shot and killed Tamir, used a reasonable amount of force based on the circumstances.

Jun 13, 2015:

The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office released the results of the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department Investigation into the Death of Tamir Rice. County Prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty said he released the investigation results for the sake of transparency.

Jun 11, 2015:

Cleveland Municipal Judge Ronald B. Adrine released an opinion about the Tamir Rice case. Judge Adrine said there is probable cause for charges of murder, involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, negligent homicide and dereliction of duty against Officer Loehmann, and probable cause for charges of negligent homicide and dereliction of duty against Officer Garmback.

Judge Adrine forwarded his opinion to city prosecutors and Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty. Judge Adrine's opinion is just advisory and not legally binding. The decision of whether or not to take the case to a grand jury is the responsibility of Timothy J. McGinty.

Jun 9, 2015:

Invoking an Ohio state law that allows an average, everyday citizen to request an arrest without approval from police or prosecutors, a small group of community leaders in Cleveland, Ohio petitioned the court to file criminal charges and arrest the two police officers involved in the shooting of Tamir Rice. The group says there is no need to for a grand jury because the video of the shooting is sufficient probable cause.

Jun 3, 2015:

The Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department turned the results of it's investigation into the shooting death of Tamir Rice over to county prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty. McGinty's office will review the evidence and present it to a grand jury.

Feb 27, 2015:

The city of Cleveland responded to the lawsuit filed on December 5, 2014 in a 41-page document which essentially says the shooting and death of Tamir was his own fault.

Jan 30, 2015:

Tamir Rice's family filed an amended wrongful death lawsuit against Officer Timothy Loehmann, Officer Frank Garmback, the city of Cleveland, and emergency dispatchers.

Jan 2, 2015:

The investigation into the shooting of Tamir Rice was transferred from the City of Cleveland to the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Department.

Dec 12, 2014:

The shooting of Tamir Rice was ruled a homicide by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office.

Dec 5, 2014:

Tamir Rice's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Officer Timothy Loehmann, Officer Frank Garmback, and the city of Cleveland.

Dec 4, 2014:

The U.S. Department of Justice released a report entitled "Investigation of the Cleveland Division of Police" which concludes that the Cleveland police department has a pattern of using excessive force.

Nov 22, 2014:

12-year-old Tamir Rice was shot and killed by Cleveland police Officer Timothy Loehmann.

Just prior to the shooting, a surveillance video shows Tamir holding what appears to be a handgun (in reality, a pellet gun replica), striking poses and pointing the handgun at a person walking by.

Police were dispatched as a result of a 9-1-1 caller who said someone, "probably a juvenile", was pointing a pistol, "probably fake", at people. According to Cleveland Deputy Chief Ed Tomba, when officers arrived "The officers ordered him to stop and to show his hands, and he went into his waistband and pulled out the weapon.".

Important facts about this shooting:

  • Tamir was 5'7" and 195 pounds which may have made him look older than 12
  • from a distance, the pellet gun which Tamir was holding would be hard to distinguish from a real firearm
  • the orange safety cap of the pellet gun, which is used to indicate the gun is not a true firearm, had apparently been removed
  • officers shot Tamir no more than two seconds after arriving
  • the Cleveland police department did not review Officer Timothy Loehmann's prior record with the Independence police department before hiring him
  • Officer Frank Garmback, the other officer who arrived on the scene and who was Timothy Loehmann's assigned field training officer, was accused of using excessive force in 2010
  • the U.S. Department of Justice previously issued an "Investigation of the Cleveland Division of Police" on December 4, 2014 which concluded that the Cleveland police department has a pattern of using excessive force

Source:

Blackwell, Brandon. (December 9, 2014). "Tamir Rice killing caused by catastrophic chain of events: Analysis". cleveland.com. Retrieved 2014-12-29.

Hanna, Jason. (November 27, 2014). "Video: Boy with air gun was shot 2 seconds after Cleveland police arrived". CNN. Retrieved 2014-12-29.

Ellis, Ralph. (November 24, 2014). "Cleveland police: Slain youth held air gun 'indistinguishable from a real firearm'". CNN. Retrieved 2014-12-29.

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