Cleveland police would like to give the investigation into Tamir Rice's fatal shooting by a police officer, as well as investigations into all subsequent deadly police encounters, to an outside agency, according to an Associated Press report.
AP notes that Michael McGrath, the city's current safety director and former police chief, has been in talks with officials at the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office about the possibility of their taking over inquires into fatal encounters with Cleveland police.Â
Until an official decision is handed down, "Cleveland police investigators are collecting evidence and conducting interviews related to the Nov. 22 shooting of Tamir Rice," AP notes.
According to reports, Tamir, 12, was carrying an airsoft pellet gun at a Cleveland playground when he was shot by rookie Police Officer Timothy Loehmann. Police have reported that an orange safety cap, which is to be housed at the tip of the pellet gun to help identify it as a toy, had been removed at the time of the fatal encounter between Tamir and Loehmann.
Police released surveillance video of the shooting, which shows Loehmann emerging from the police car with his gun drawn and shooting Tamir some two seconds after the patrol car arrives. Police claim that Loehmann told the boy to drop the weapon but Tamir did not comply.
According to AP, Cuyahoga County officials and Cleveland authorities have been sharing information regarding Tamir's death in the hopes that "whoever leads the investigation will give its evidence to Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy McGinty, whose office will present the case to a grand jury for possible criminal charges."
Tamir's family has already filed a lawsuit against the city of Cleveland, alleging that the officers involved in the boy's death acted recklessly, according to AP.
Read more at the Associated Press.