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Timothy Loehmann, the former Cleveland officer who shot and killed 12-year-old Tamir Rice in 2014, has resigned from his new police job in West Virginia amid backlash over his hiring.
In a statement to NBC News, White Sulpher Springs Mayor Kathy Glover announced that Loehmann had resigned from the police department.
“As of July 1, 2024, Timothy Loehmann has resigned his position and is no longer an employee,” Glover said.
Loehmann's resignation comes after he fatally shot Rice, a Black boy who was playing with a pellet gun outside of a recreation center in Cleveland. The incident sparked nationwide protests over police treatment of Black people. No charges were brought against Loehmann in state or federal court.
City Council member Thomas Taylor said Loehmann's resignation was prompted by "public outcry” surrounding his hiring.
White Sulphur Springs police Chief D.S. Teubert said he spent a year researching Loehmann's background before the hiring.
“Just as a person, I looked at the whole situation,” Teubert said in a statement. “I did a background check. I researched everything. It’s just a sad situation. Does any police officer in the world stand a chance when they’re involved in a shooting? Do they deserve to never work again as a police officer, or is it just this shooting?”
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