Tamir Rice Forced To Enter Homeless Shelter After His Death

Tamir Rice Forced To Enter Homeless Shelter After His Death

The City of Cleveland has asked the family of Tamir Rice, the 12-year-old boy shot and killed while he played with a toy gun in a Westside park in November, to halt their civil lawsuit until the official investigation has concluded.

Via Washington Post:

The request, penned by city lawyers, says that delaying the lawsuit will protect the two officers involved in the shooting from making statements now, before knowing if they’ll be charged with a crime.

On Monday, Rice’s family responded: They can’t wait any longer.

In a court filing dated Monday, Rice’s family said they cannot agree to hold off on their lawsuit until the investigation is complete in part because they are worried that crucial evidence could be lost. In addition, they said, the elongated pace at which the investigation is moving is causing them sustained distress.

“The incident has shattered the life of the Rice family,” the motion stated.

Rice’s mother, the motion goes on to state, has moved into a homeless shelter.

“In particular, Samaria Rice, Tamir Rice’s mother, has since been forced to move to a homeless shelter because she could no longer live next door to the killing field of her son,” the motion said.

And, with the investigation still lingering, the Rice family said they have yet to bury Tamir because it is unclear if there will be need for any additional medical examination.

“Plaintiffs are incurring expense daily and are unsure if they can finally rest Tamir Rice due to the pending investigation,” the motion filed by the family reads. “A stay would exacerbate this expense and emotional distress.”

What happened to all the money raised for Rice’s family after his death?