CINCINNATI – A group of Black Lives Matter activists staged a solidarity march in Cincinnati Saturday, marking the day before the one-year anniversary of when a Cleveland police officer shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice, who later died from the wound.
Protesters said they wanted charges to be filed against the police officer, Timothy Loehmann. He shot Rice seconds after arriving at the scene where a 911 caller reported seeing a person with a gun, which turned out to be a toy.
This month, several use-of-force experts hired by prosecutors have concluded that the shooting was justified, but attorneys for Tamir’s family have said the release of the reports is improper and have called for a special prosecutor to take over the case.
Several dozen people were at the courthouse for the rally Saturday. Organizers said the turnout in bad weather was meaningful. The killing of Tamir has become part of a national outcry about minorities, especially black boys and men, dying during encounters with police.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
