Samaria Rice, the mother of Tamir Rice, who was fatally shot by a Cleveland police officer, testified Monday before the grand jury investigating the case, WKYC reports.
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The family’s attorney, Subodh Chandra, released a statement following her appearance, which lasted less than 90 minutes.
“Ms. Rice told the grand jury about how she learned about the police shooting of her 12-year-old son and what a gentle, loving, and kind soul her child was to his family and friends,” the statement said, according to WKYC.
She asked the jurors, who will determine whether to indict Police Officer Timothy Loehmann, to consider whether the officer acted reasonably or was justified in shooting her son.
Tamir was playing with a pellet gun at a Cleveland recreational center when Loehmann and his partner, Officer Frank Garmback, shot him in November 2014. A video captured the moment when their patrol car, responding to a 911 call, pulls up to Tamir and Loehmann shoots the boy within seconds. They reportedly were not aware that a witness said the gun was probably a fake and that Tamir looked like a juvenile.
Rice urged the grand jury to hold the officers accountable for her son’s death, according to the statement.
Two of Tamir’s siblings—his sister, Tajai, and brother, Kavon—also appeared at the hearing.
Read more at WKYC.
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