TAMIR RICE

Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old youngster, was fatally shot on November 22, 2014, by a Caucasian police officer in Cleveland, Ohio. A pair of law enforcement personnel promptly attended to a police dispatch call indicating the presence of an individual brandishing a firearm and threatening unsuspecting others within the park. The 911 caller clearly and unequivocally declared at the onset and midpoint of the call that the firearm in question is “likely counterfeit.” At the conclusion of the call, he mentions that the individual wielding the firearm “is likely an adolescent.” Regrettably, the responding cops were not informed of that vital information.

I Am Cudell: Cleveland Residents Remember Tamir Rice from KentWired.com on Vimeo.

Tamir was alone, inside a gazebo, when two police officers parked their vehicle directly on the grass adjacent to the gazebo. The cop promptly discharged their firearm, striking the sixth grader within a just three seconds of their arrival at the scene. Confirming the caller’s assumption, it was determined that the pistol possessed by the young boy was really a mere imitation toy gun. The homicide of this blameless juvenile occurred with excessive swiftness. In the video, the police car is in the midst of halting when young Tamir is shot.

In addition to the harm already inflicted, Tamir’s mother, Samaria Rice, reported that she faced the possibility of being arrested due to her vocal confrontation with the police, who denied her the opportunity to get to her son’s side as he lay dying. In addition, she mentioned that upon receiving the news of his gunshot wound, his 14-year-old sister also attempted to quickly reach Tamir’s location. At that moment, law enforcement personnel forcefully restrained Tamir’s sister, restrained her hands with handcuffs, and placed her inside a police vehicle alongside the same officer who had already shot her younger sibling.

Tamir Rice’s mom on her quest for justice | Velshi from Lauren Winn on Vimeo.

Subsequent investigation uncovered that the officer responsible for Tamir’s death had previously been classified as an emotionally unstable trainee and unsuitable for employment as a police officer in a Cleveland suburb. He was unfit to serve as a police officer and Tamir’s death was unnecessary.

After a few months, the prosecution submitted evidence to a grand jury, who refused to bring formal charges, arguing that Tamir seemed to be pulling out a real pistol from his waist when the police arrived. The family of Tamir Rice filed a lawsuit against the city of Cleveland, which was later resolved through a settlement of $6 million.

Tamir Rice was an innocent 12-year-old child who was killed on November 22, 2014, by a white police officer in Cleveland, Ohio Two officers responded to a police dispatch call reporting that there was a male pointing a pistol at random people in the park. The 911 caller explicitly stated at the beginning and the middle of the call that the pistol is “probably fake.” Towards the end of the call, he adds that the person pointing the gun “is probably a juvenile.” Tragically, that crucial information was not relayed to the responding officers.

Tamir was by himself, playing in a gazebo when two police officers pulled onto the grass right alongside the gazebo. One officer shot the sixth grader immediately, within three seconds, after arriving on the scene. As the caller had surmised, the gun that this little boy had was indeed just a replica toy gun. The murder of this innocent child happened too quickly. On the video the police car is still in the process of stopping when young Tamir is shot.

To add insult to injury, Tamir’s mother, Samaria Rice, said that she was threatened with arrest because she was yelling at police who refused to let her run to her dying son’s aid. She also said that, upon learning he had been shot, his 14-year-old sister also tried to rush to Tamir’s side. That was when police officers tackled Tamir’s sister, handcuffed her and placed her in a squad car with the same police officer who had just shot her little brother.

During the investigation it was revealed that the officer who killed Tamir had been deemed an emotionally unstable recruit and unfit for duty in his previous job as a police officer in a Cleveland suburb. He should not have been a police officer and Tamir should not be dead.

Several months later the prosecution presented evidence to a grand jury, which declined to indict, claiming that Tamir was drawing what appeared to be an actual firearm from his waist as the police arrived. Tamir Rice’s family brought a lawsuit against the city of Cleveland and it was subsequently settled for $6 million.