Officer who fatally shot Tamir Rice fired from West Virginia ranger job

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Timothy Loehmann, the former Cleveland police officer who fatally shot 12‑year‑old Tamir Rice in 2014, has been fired from his ranger job in West Virginia. His firing comes after news spread of his hiring.

Former Officer Who Fatally Shot Tamir Rice Fired From West Virginia Job

Loehmann was employed by the Snowshoe Resort Community District in June 2025.

The district’s board of directors announced the decision Friday and said the termination took effect immediately.

The board said it met on Dec. 19 to review personnel matters and then voted unanimously to remove Loehmann.

Termination Follows Public Outcry Over Hiring

The decision came days after Cleveland civil rights attorney Subodh Chandra released information showing that Loehmann had been hired by both the Snowshoe Resort Community District and the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office earlier this year. Chandra represents Tamir Rice’s mother, Samaria, and has tracked Loehmann’s attempts to return to law enforcement.

“Every time Timothy Loehmann is misentrusted with a badge and a gun and at least five communities have done so since Cleveland fired him for lying on his employment application,  it makes Samaria Rice and her grieving family distraught,” Chandra said in a statement.

“Loehmann’s determination to inflict himself on other people seems pathological. So does the craven poor judgment required by any public officials who hire him.”

Loehmann’s History of Failed Rehiring Attempts

The Cleveland Division of Police fired Loehmann in 2017 for lying on his job application and failing to disclose that Independence police had previously deemed him unfit for duty. The department did not fire him for the shooting itself.

Since then, Loehmann has been briefly hired by at least three agencies. However, he resigned each time amid public backlash.

SRCD Plans Policy Review

The Snowshoe board said it will evaluate its hiring procedures to prevent similar issues. The review will appear on the agenda for its next scheduled meeting in January 2026.

Tamir Rice Shot, Killed By Timothy Loehmann in 2014

Loehmann, while working for the Cleveland Police Department, shot Tamir Rice in November 2014 after responding to a call about someone with a gun outside the Cudell Recreation Center. Tamir had been playing with an airsoft pellet gun. He died the next day. Loehmann was not charged with a crime.

The shooting sparked national outrage and conversations of excessive force and handling police calls involving children.

Since Tamir’s death, his mother Samaria has been a staunch advocate for police accountability and ensuring her son receives some sort of justice. The Tamir Rice estate estate won a record $6 million civil settlement.

Samaria Rice said she was grateful for the support and “happy that the community stood up once again.”