Local officials have confirmed that Timothy Loehmann, the former Cleveland police officer who shot and killed 12-year-old Black boy Tamir Rice in 2014, resulting in widespread protests across the country, has resigned from a police department in a small town in West Virginia.
White Sulpher Springs mayor Kathy Glover has confirmed in a statement to NBC News that Timothy Loehmann, the former police officer involved in the fatal shooting of Tamir Rice, has resigned from his position as an employee, effective July 1, 2024. Glover declined to provide any further details on the matter, citing it as a personnel issue.
Loehmann has been contacted by The Independent for comment.
In recent days, social media has been abuzz with activists, including the head of Black Lives Matter Cleveland, drawing attention to the hiring of Loehmann.
Despite not facing any charges in state or federal court, Loehmann has resigned from previous positions in Ohio in 2018 and Pennsylvania under similar circumstances.
According to local media reports, White Sulphur Springs police Chief D.S. Teubert shared that he became acquainted with Loehmann through mutual friends from their time in the military. Teubert also mentioned that he conducted a thorough background check of the officer for a year prior to making the decision to hire him.
Teubert expressed his perspective on the situation, stating that he conducted a thorough background check and extensive research. He believes that the circumstances surrounding the shooting are tragic. Teubert raised a significant question, whether any police officer worldwide stands a chance when they are involved in a shooting. He further questioned whether they deserve to be stripped of their profession due to one incident or only this specific shooting.
