Father of 12-Year-Old Boy Shot By Police Questions Police

 

Tamir Rice

 

The father of a 12-year-old boy fatally shot by police after wielding a replica gun questioned on Sunday why they did not use a stun gun to subdue him. Tamir Rice was shot in the torso in the playground area of a recreation center in Cleveland on Saturday afternoon. He died in hospital Sunday morning.

His father Gregory Henderson told the Cleveland Plain Dealer:"Why not taze him? You shot him twice, not once, and at the end of the day you all don't shoot for the legs, you shoot for the upper body."

 

Henderson told reporters over the weekend that his son was a "respectful" young man who minded his elders. He said that he couldn't comprehend that his son would not follow police orders, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported.

 

"Who would've thought he would go so soon?" Henderson told WKYC. "He had his whole life ahead (of him). To be 12 years old, he doesn't know what he's doing. Police they know what they're doing."

 

Cleveland police said they shot Rice after he reached into his waistband for the gun, which didn't have the orange safety indicator usually found on the muzzle. It was later determined to be an "airsoft"-type replica gun — a BB-gun that resembles a semi-automatic pistol. Police said officers were responding to a 911 call in which a man said a juvenile was scaring people with a gun that probably was fake.

 

Deputy Chief Ed Tomba said one officer fired twice after the boy pulled the fake weapon from his waistband, but had not pointed it at police. The boy did not make any verbal threats, but grabbed the replica handgun after being told to raise his hands, Tomba said.

 

He said an officer taking a Taser out when they believe there could be a person with a gun puts the officer at risk, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported. The two officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure.

 

A special grand jury concluded police officers' actions were justified. The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the shooting.