The previous Cleveland police officer who shot and killed 12-year-old Tamir Rice in 2014 has been employed because the lone cop in a Pennsylvania borough.
Timothy Loehmann used to be sworn in as the only officer within the kind of 700-person borough of Tioga, Pennsylvania, on Tuesday.
Loehmann, who killed Rice in 2014 as he performed with a toy gun by way of a Cleveland sport middle, used to be fired in 2017 for mendacity on his activity utility.
In 2015, an Ohio grand jury declined to indict Loehmann on any felony fees associated with the deadly taking pictures.
Tioga Mayor David Wilcox mentioned that he used to be “unaware” of the officer’s background and that the borough’s council president “led him to consider” there wasn’t a subject matter with the rent, WEWS-TV reported.
Wilcox mentioned the hiring and firing of officials happens in the course of the council, in step with WEWS-TV.
Wilcox, in an interview with Cleveland.com and The Simple Broker, mentioned he used to be “underneath the affect” there used to be an intensive background take a look at on Loehmann.
“I discovered it odd that any person would transfer right here all of the approach from Cleveland, Ohio, for $18 an hour,” Wilcox mentioned.
“However I heard that he sought after to escape from all of it and are available right here to seek and fish.”
Tioga is a kind of 280-mile pressure from Cleveland, in step with Google Maps.
Loehmann used to be employed to be a part-time police officer Bellaire, Ohio, in 2018 however withdrew his utility after information broke of the rent, in step with WEWS-TV.
Samaria Rice, Tamir Rice’s mom, informed journalists in 2018 that she was hoping Loehmann would now not be employed once more as a police officer.
She echoed that sentiment Wednesday when informed of Loehmann’s hiring in Pennsylvania.
“Whoever employed him made a giant mistake,” mentioned Rice, in step with Cleveland.com.
“He shouldn’t be a police officer anyplace in america.”
Rice circle of relatives and property legal professional Subodh Chandra agreed with Samaria Rice, Cleveland.com reported.
“Tioga officers it appears don’t care whether or not a police officer used to be regarded as mentally not worthy for one division, lied on his utility to every other, rushed upon and slew a kid, after which lied about calling out warnings to Tamir — when his window used to be rolled up on a wintry weather’s day,” Chandra mentioned.
Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Affiliation President Jeff Follmer, in a remark at the hiring, mentioned Loehmann used to be now not “given a good likelihood” within the Cleveland space and deserved to be an officer in other places.