As the world awaits the grand jury decision in the Ferguson shooting of Michael Brown, two new incidents have police under pressure in Cleveland and New York.
Police in Cleveland were responding to the 911 call placed from a playground when they came upon 12-year-old Tamir Rice. They reportedly saw Rice pick up what appeared to be a gun and then place it in his waistband. One of the officers drew his gun and told Rice to raise his hands. Rice reportedly did not comply but, instead, started to remove what turned out to be an air gun.
One of the officers shot twice, hitting Rice in the stomach. He later died at the hospital.
The 911 caller had told the dispatcher that the gun was “probably fake” multiple times. However, the orange plastic tip used to identify the gun as a toy had, apparently, been taken off.
The investigation is focusing on whether the use of deadly force was warranted. It will likely include questions about whether the officers should have used stun guns or fired a warning shot.
The officer who shot Rice has been put on administrative leave pending the outcome.
Sunday’s incident with Tamir Rice came only a few days after Akai Gurley, a 28-year-old father was killed by what police called an accidental discharge of an officer’s firearm in a Brooklyn project.
Rookie officer Peter Liang was on a “vertical patrol” on Thursday night with a partner in a building that had seen a recent increase in violent crime. Entering a dark stairwell, Liang drew his gun. Gurley and his girlfriend were entering the same stairwell one floor below. Police are still investigating the incident but a single shot was fired from Liang’s gun that ended up hitting Gurley in the chest.
More than 200 people were rallied to call for Liang’s arrest where civil rights leader Al Sharpton called for a review of the incident.
"They're saying it was an accident. We're saying, 'How do we know until there is a thorough investigation?'" Sharpton said.
Sharpton then brought Gurley’s 2-year-old daughter to the microphone.
"This baby will grow up without a daddy who did nothing wrong," Sharpton said. "This Thanksgiving these families will have to sit at a table with missing family members."
The Ferguson decision is expected this week.
