Here in Cleveland, we had a 12 year old boy shot to death Sunday. He was 12 years old. He was black and 12 years old. A man called 911 and said he wasn’t sure if a gun was a toy or real. When the police arrived, they did not determine if it was a toy. It was a very realistic looking toy. They never investigated and shot Tamir in the abdomen. He died at Metro Hospital. A civil law suit has been filed against the police department.
I am appalled that this child was killed. The police pulled up in their police car and shot Tamir. He was at the rec center with his sister and some other kids. He wasn’t a gang member, he was just playing with his toy. Now, just for the record, I would not give a child any gun. I do not believe in guns but I am in a minority in America.
The police need to stop being so quick to shoot young minorities. Toy guns should not look real. Cops should not shoot first and find out the facts afterwards. What if that was their child? What if their child’s blood pooled on a city sidewalk?
The federal government is involved in this investigation and they are not supporting the police. Please pray for the Rice family and all black American families because too many are grieving across the country.
idealisticrebel 
What can any of us say that would bring sense to this? No matter how real that gun looked there was no reason to shoot this boy. Another life which cannot be replaced. Our hearts break. Something must be done.
Joss you are right and I don’t even know where to begin. My heart has been hurting. I have a 12 year old grandson. If he were to be killed, I think I might lose it permanently. Twelve is still a baby. They don’t know what they are doing. You have to be very strong in this world. It is not gentle or for the faint of heart. Pray for our country and our children. Hugs, Barbara
That is my hometown. A friend still living there was released from work early today in anticipation of protests shutting the city down. Things have gotten out of control across the country. The killing needs to stop now.
Oh, I am in such agreement with you. Hugs, Barbara
It is tragic. But how are police to know without putting their own lives in jeopardy? Don’t think outrage against police logical on this one. When my son was a teenager someone gave him a pistol BB gun. Looked pretty real. I took it away from him and threw in garbage because in Miami he would be gunned down by police without question. In Miami quite regular for police to shoot first in really outrageous reasons. You see an umbrella looks like a gun, a wallet looks like a gun, a purse or hat could be a bomb. Then of course 14 cops should shoot a little drunk man running out of the house waving a broken beer bottle 73 times because they feared for their lives. Of course the choke hold death in Staten Island was outright murder.
In order to lessen the danger on a call like that, there is procedure. You don’t roll up right next to the person. You park at a distance and use your vehicle/door for cover. You can even call for backup. You speak to the person, you asses the situation, you secure the perimeter.
What danger where these officers in when they rolled up and shot this child within 2 seconds? They did no procedure at all. If they had taken the time to assess the situation, speak to him, while maintaining safety procedures, none of this would have happened.
I know police officers. I know that their job is dangerous. But what happened here is a complete travesty. This was outright murder as well. And they knew they had done wrong, because before they knew they were caught on tape they had this whole story on what had taken place that does not line up at ALL with what you see on the video.
I agree 100%. The feds are involved now. My heart breaks for the family. We are living in coarse times. Where is the value of life? We are losing our civility. Thanks for stopping by and leaving your comment. Hugs, Barbara
There is no excuse for this, none. When a white boy walks out of court in Texas after killing 5 people with the defense of Afluenza (to rich to go to jail) and a Black child is shot in a park without determining what he has in his hand it is time to look for a new system.
It seems that every day we here of another sickening atrocity, I despair of our world.