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December 9, 2014

Family of Tamir Rice Files Federal Lawsuit over Fatal Shooting by Police 
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The family of slain 12-year-old Tamir Rice has filed a federal civil
rights suit against the city of Cleveland and the two officers involved
in his death. Rice was playing inside a park with a toy gun that had the
plastic strip removed when an officer pulled up and immediately opened
fire. On Monday, Tamir's mother, Samaria Rice, spoke out along with
family attorney Benjamin Crump.

Samaria Rice: "Tamir was a bright child. He had a promising future, and
he was very talented in all sports — soccer, basketball, football.
He played the drums. He drew. He played video games. He was a great
swimmer. The community loved him. He was a helper at the school and at
the rec. And, you know, everybody just loved him."

Benjamin Crump: "This scenario cannot happen again in America. We cannot
have children playing cops and robbers on the playground and police
officers coming and claiming their lives because they are not equipped
to deal with and encounter with a kid and a toy gun. They are supposed
to de-escalate, not escalate a situation. And everything you see in that
video escalated the situation."

The Rice family says the officers did not administer first aid on Tamir
after he was shot, and that Tamir's 14-year-old sister was tackled and
handcuffed after she arrived at the scene. The family wants the case to
go straight to trial instead of before a grand jury.

 

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