Cleveland officers on leave after killing boy, 12, who had fake gun
A pair of Cleveland police officers have been placed on administrative leave after shooting and killing a 12 year-old boy who was holding a fake gun.
Officers responded to a 911 call reporting a male with a gun that was “probably fake” on Saturday at a recreation center.
“There is a guy with a pistol,” the 911 caller said in an audio recording released by police. “It’s probably fake, but he’s pointing it at everybody.”
Cleveland Police Department officials said witnesses reported a male was in the playground area of the center, waving a gun and pointing it at people.
When officers arrived, they told the boy to raise his hands. He did not comply with the officers’ orders and reached to his waistband for what turned out to be a fake gun, police officials said. Police then shot and killed the boy. The Cuyahoga County medical examiner identified the boy as Tamir Rice.
Police and the Cuyahoga County prosecutor’s office said they are continuing to investigate the shooting.
The death of Rice, who is black, comes at a time when a high profile grand jury in Ferguson, Mo., is weighing whether to indict a white police officer who killed an unarmed 18-year-old black man in August.
Cleveland police are expected hold a news conference Monday with additional details about the shooting.
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