TAMIR RICE’S FAMILY ASKS BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO REOPEN CASE
Tamir Rice’s family reached out to the Biden Administration’s Department of Justice, asking that they take another look into Rice’s murder.
Officer Timothy Loehmann fatally shot Tamir Rice at the age of 12. The shooting took place on November 22, 2014. Officer Loehmann responded to multiple reports of a guy with a pistol aiming it at several people while on the playground. One caller stated that the gun may be fake and that the guy is indeed a minor.
Rice’s lawyer sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting the case to be reopened, which was closed by the Trump administration last year.
The letter wrote, “The election of President Biden, your appointment, and your commitment to the rule of law, racial justice, and police reform give Tamir’s family hope that the chance for accountability is not lost forever.” It goes on to say, “We write on their behalf to request that you reopen this investigation and convene a grand jury to consider charges against the police officers who killed Tamir.”
Body footage shows police officers getting out of their vehicles with their guns drawn. The department under former President Donald Trump denied the criminal charges against Office Loehmann in Rice’s death. The department stated there was not enough evidence to prove excessive force against the boy. In 2016, the Rice family won a $6 million settlement in a lawsuit against Cleveland. Officer Loehmann was fired about a year later for lying on his application to the Cleveland Division of Police.
Samaria Rice, Tamir’s mother, spoke out, demanding justice for her son’s death.
“Tamir would have been 19-years-old in June. I’m still in so much pain because no one has been held accountable for the criminal act that took his life. I’m asking DOJ to reopen the investigation into my son’s case; we need an indictment and conviction for Tamir’s death. I’m building his legacy. The Tamir Rice Foundation is very invested in the community and dedicated to creating change.”
