Attorney General Josh Shapiro says Tiago broke law by hiring police officer who killed Tamir Rice
PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) —Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro says Tioga Borough violated state law when it hired the officer who fatally shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice in 2014.
Last week, former Cleveland police officer Timothy Loehmann was sworn in as the borough's lone officer. He left the position without having worked a single shift.
Rice, who was Black, was playing with a pellet gun outside a recreation center in Cleveland on Nov. 22, 2014, when he was shot and killed by Loehmann seconds after Loehmann and his partner arrived. The officers, who are white, told investigators Loehmann had shouted three times at Tamir to raise his hands.
The shooting sparked community protests about police treatment of Black people, especially after a grand jury decided not to indict Loehmann or his partner. Loehmann ended up leaving the force.
Shapiro sent a letter to the Tioga Borough Council saying it was in violation of state law by not performing a background check before hiring Loehmann.