Additional Coverage:
- Officer who shot Tamir Rice dead in Cleveland resigns from new police job in West Virginia (newsbreak.com)
Timothy Loehmann, the ex-Cleveland policeman known for the fatal 2014 shooting of 12-year-old Tamir Rice—a case that ignited protests across the nation—has stepped down from his position in a West Virginia police department, local authorities have confirmed.
White Sulphur Springs Mayor Kathy Glover told NBC News that Loehmann resigned effective July 1, 2024, and is no longer on the town’s payroll. Glover declined to provide further details on the matter, labeling it a personnel issue.
The Independent has reached out to Loehmann seeking his response.
Thomas Taylor, a City Council member, informed Cleveland.com that Loehmann’s resignation came amid growing public dissent regarding his employment. Loehmann, who mistook Rice’s toy weapon for a real firearm, shot the youngster mere seconds after arriving at the scene outside a recreation center in 2014.
Recent social media campaigns led by groups such as Black Lives Matter Cleveland scrutinized Loehmann’s appointment.
Despite not facing charges in connection to the shooting at either the state or federal level, Loehmann has faced similar controversies leading to resignations in Ohio in 2018 and Pennsylvania.
White Sulphur Springs Police Chief D.S. Teubert shared with the press his personal connection to Loehmann through military colleagues and detailed the extensive background check and research conducted before hiring him. Teubert reflected on the broader implications of such incidents for law enforcement officers, questioning whether involvement in a shooting should disqualify them from serving in law enforcement entirely or if it pertains solely to this particular case.