CLEVELAND — Nov. 22, 2014. That date, 10 years ago today, is when 12-year-old Tamir Rice was shot and killed by a Cleveland police officer outside of the Cudell Recreation Center.
For a decade, the story of what unfolded at Cudell has captured headlines for who was lost and the reaction it sparked.
Police responded to the scene after a 911 caller reported “a guy with a pistol” who was pointing it at people, while also saying “it’s probably fake.” But dispatchers didn't relay all of that information to officers.
It turned out Tamir had a pellet gun without the orange safety tip in his possession at the time of the shooting.
Responding officers pulled up to the gazebo where Tamir was and within two seconds after he opened his passenger door, Officer Timothy Loehmann shot Tamir twice.
Protests erupted within days of the shooting, followed by calls for both Loehmann and Officer Frank Garmback who was the driver to be fired. County Prosecutor Tim McGinty resisted calls from protesters and the family for him to step aside.
Then in December 2015, 13 months after Tamir was killed, a grand jury decided not to return an indictment against the officers, sparking more backlash from some in the community. The U.S. Department of Justice would ultimately investigate the shooting, but in 2020 prosecutors found “insufficient evidence” for federal charges against the officers.
Loehmann would continue with the department until May 2017 when Cleveland fired him—not for shooting Tamir—but for lying about his work history. Officer Garmback is still employed as a patrol officer within the department. Loehmann recently resigned from his position with a West Virginia police force.
In 2016, the city agreed to pay Tamir’s family $6 million to settle a civil rights lawsuit. But it did not admit any wrongdoing.
In that same year, crews broke down the gazebo that hung over the infamous scene. The gazebo is now on display in Chicago. The Rice Butterfly Memorial Garden has marked the spot of the shooting at Cudell Recreation Center since 2022, acting as a permanent reminder of what was lost 10 years ago.
The shooting happened while the U.S. Department of Justice was investigating the Cleveland Division of Police. Shortly after Tamir’s death, the DOJ determined the police department had engaged in a pattern and practice of excessive force. The city then entered into a consent decree to correct those practices. Ten years later, it continues. But the latest report in September showed the city has made progress in areas like community trust and use of force.
The City Club of Cleveland hosted a panel Friday to mark 10 years since Tamir was shot. His mother, Samaria Rice, joined a panel discussion alongside the following:
- Subodh Chandra: Founder and Managing Partner, The Chandra Law Firm LLC
- LaTonya Goldsby: President, Black Lives Matter Cleveland
“Ten years on, we take a moment to remember Tamir Rice, contemplate his legacy, and to take stock of progress made and the work still to be done,” according to the event listing from the City Club of Cleveland.
Chandra, who represents the Rice family, spoke with 3News' Russ Mitchell about the legacy of Tamir's case.
"The legacy and the stains that come out of this case is the way the criminal justice process failed Samaria Rice and her family," Chandra said. "It's not just a failure in terms of the substantive outcome: the failure to indict or prosecutor Officer Loehmann in particular. It's really about a process that was tilted in favor of no accountability."