Undated photo provided by the family's attorney shows Tamir Rice. (Agence France-Presse)
Washington:
Prosecutors released the results Saturday of a police investigation into the fatal shooting of a 12-year-old black boy in Cleveland, Ohio seen waving a toy gun in a park.
It comes two days after a judge ruled the two police officers involved should face criminal charges over the death of Tamir Rice in November -- a time of heightened racial tensions in the United States following a series of fatal incidents involving black men or youths.
"Transparency is essential for an intelligent discussion of the important issues raised by this case," said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy McGinty.
"If we wait years for all litigation to be completed before the citizens are allowed to know what actually happened, we will have squandered our best opportunity to institute needed changes in use of force policy, police training and leadership."
Rice was fatally shot after police responded to a 911 call that someone was waving around a gun in a park. It turned out to be an airsoft gun and the boy died of his injuries a day later.
The evidence from the investigation will be handed over to a grand jury, which will decide whether to press charges against officers Timothy Loehmann, who pulled the trigger, and Frank Garmback, who was driving the patrol car that fateful day.
"The death of a citizen from the use of deadly force by the police is different from all other cases and deserves a high level of public scrutiny," added McGinty.
On Thursday, Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Ronald Adrine ruled there was probable cause to bring charges of murder, involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, negligent homicide and dereliction of duty against Loehmann.
Adrine found there was probable cause to bring charges of negligent homicide and dereliction of duty against Garmback, ABC News reported.
But the judge cautioned that his opinion was "advisory in nature" and it was ultimately up to the "discretion of the city's prosecuting authority" to file charges, the local ABC News station reported.
The ruling comes after community leaders took advantage of an unusual law which allows residents to bypass prosecutors and ask judges to issue arrest warrants.
It comes two days after a judge ruled the two police officers involved should face criminal charges over the death of Tamir Rice in November -- a time of heightened racial tensions in the United States following a series of fatal incidents involving black men or youths.
"Transparency is essential for an intelligent discussion of the important issues raised by this case," said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy McGinty.
"If we wait years for all litigation to be completed before the citizens are allowed to know what actually happened, we will have squandered our best opportunity to institute needed changes in use of force policy, police training and leadership."
Rice was fatally shot after police responded to a 911 call that someone was waving around a gun in a park. It turned out to be an airsoft gun and the boy died of his injuries a day later.
The evidence from the investigation will be handed over to a grand jury, which will decide whether to press charges against officers Timothy Loehmann, who pulled the trigger, and Frank Garmback, who was driving the patrol car that fateful day.
"The death of a citizen from the use of deadly force by the police is different from all other cases and deserves a high level of public scrutiny," added McGinty.
On Thursday, Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Ronald Adrine ruled there was probable cause to bring charges of murder, involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, negligent homicide and dereliction of duty against Loehmann.
Adrine found there was probable cause to bring charges of negligent homicide and dereliction of duty against Garmback, ABC News reported.
But the judge cautioned that his opinion was "advisory in nature" and it was ultimately up to the "discretion of the city's prosecuting authority" to file charges, the local ABC News station reported.
The ruling comes after community leaders took advantage of an unusual law which allows residents to bypass prosecutors and ask judges to issue arrest warrants.
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