A judge in the Ohio city of Cleveland ruled on Thursday that police officer Timothy Loehmann should face charges of murder, involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, negligent homicide and dereliction of duty over the death last November of 12-year-old Tamir Rice.
Loehmann’s partner officer, Frank Garmback, who was driving the patrol car, should face negligent homicide and dereliction of duty charges, Municipal Court Judge Ronald Adrine found. The judge also noted in his ruling that his verdict was non-binding, DW reported.
The ruling came days after a group of local citizens filed affidavits requesting action from the court in connection with the death of Rice, who was holding a replica gun when he was shot.
Rice was shot seconds after the two police officers arrived at a recreation center following an emergency call that “a guy with a pistol” was pointing it at people.
The death of Rice is just one in a series of killings of African-Americans involving contact with law enforcement authorities in the US in recent months.
On Thursday, a Miami police officer shot and killed a homeless African-American man in front of at least 60 witnesses, including children attending summer camp. Police officials said the violent suspect “refused to drop a metal pipe he was holding.”
Upon arriving, police said they found a man holding a three-foot metal stick and shot him five times after he refused to drop it.
