The small borough of Tioga in Northcentral Pennsylvania recently hired Timothy Loehmann, the former Cleveland police officer who shot and killed 12-year-old Tamir Rice in 2014. But following criticism from residents and outcry on social media, Loehmann has withdrawn from the borough’s police force, according to reports.
Rice’s killing led to national outcry and protests across the country. In November 2014, police responded to a call and then Loehmann quickly fired on Rice, who was holding a replica toy gun at a park in Cleveland.
Prosecutors presented evidence, but a grand jury failed to indict Loehmann on criminal charges related to the shooting.
Loehmann was later fired by Cleveland police in 2017 for lying on his job application.
Tioga borough Mayor David Wilcox told WEWS-TV in Cleveland that he was unaware of Loehmann’s background, and that Loehmann never mentioned anything about Rice during his interview, which Wilcox attended.
Loehmann was sworn in on July 5, and was set to serve as the borough’s sole police officer. Tioga is home to about 700 residents. Borough council approved the hiring of Loehmann, who was to sttart at $18 an hour, according to WEWS-TV.
Wilcox claimed borough council did not let him view Loehmann’s resume or look into his background.
Tioga Borough council President Steve Hazlett said Loehmann left the position Thursday. Hazlett didn’t say whether council knew of Loehmann’s background when voting to hire him.
Loehmann’s hiring was followed by a protest in the small borough on Tuesday.
At the protest, Wilcox told the crowd he wouldn’t set a schedule for Loehmann. He said borough council and residents need to come to a peaceful resolution soon regarding the matter, according to WETM-TV of Elmira, New York.
Hazlett said that Loehmann left the position without having worked a single shift and that council did not ask Loehmann to step aside.
“The community spoke. They got their feelings out, and we listened to them and we’re going to react to it and that will be that,” said Hazlett. “We thank the community for stepping forward and letting their voices be heard.”
Cleveland’s police union told WEWS-TV that Loehmann was cleared of all charges regarding the Rice killing and that he “deserves a fair chance in another city.”
Samaria Rice, Tamir’s mother, called Loehmann’s hiring “pathetic” and “a shame.”
“The system is broken, because police reform is actually not working,” said Rice to WOIO-TV in Cleveland. “You would hire someone knowing he has murdered a 12-year-old child. How dare you. How dare you do it.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
