CLEVELAND (WJW)– The Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court upheld the city of Cleveland’s termination of Timothy Loehmann, the police officer who shot and killed 12-year-old Tamir Rice.
Loehmann was fired from the Cleveland Division of Police in 2017 for lying on his police application, not the deadly shooting. The city said he did not fully disclose his employment history. The Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association appealed his termination in court.
“The City of Cleveland is pleased that the court upheld its decision to terminate the employment of former Cleveland Police patrol officer Timothy Loehmann. The City has consistently maintained throughout this process that Loehmann’s termination was justified,” the city said in a statement Friday morning.
Rice was killed outside the Cudell Recreation Center on the city’s west side on Nov. 22, 2014. Police were called for a report of a man with a gun. Police said Officer Loehmann opened fire when he said the boy reached towards his waistband. The gun turned out to be an airsoft pistol.
No criminal charges were filed against the rookie police officer or his partner.
The shooting prompted changes to the Cleveland police hiring process, including adding a review of past personnel files.
Cleveland City Hall settled a lawsuit with Rice’s family for $6 million.
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