Rice family celebrates Tamir’s legacy with opening of The Rice Butterfly Memorial in Cudell Park (photos)

CLEVELAND, Ohio — It was an emotional day as household and pals of Tamir Rice gathered on Saturday morning to have a good time the opening of The Rice Butterfly Memorial in Cudell Park, the park the place 12-year-old Tamir was shot and killed by a Cleveland police officer on November 22, 2014.

The memorial is represented by a backyard on the former location of the gazebo the place Tamir, who would have turned 20 on June 25, was taking part in with a toy gun when approached by two Cleveland officers in a police automobile.

“You’ve endured the worst ache each household fears,” mentioned U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio to members of the Rice household. “The household envisioned this backyard as a sanctuary, a spot of peace for all the neighborhood.”

As Tamir’s mom Samaria Rice acquired as much as communicate, she acquired a standing ovation from the friends.

“The US legislation enforcement has robbed me of my son’s treasured life, like they’ve robbed so many others,” Rice mentioned. “. . . As his mom the ache is so actual I shall be in ache for the remainder of my life. With my ache I used to be capable of flip it into energy by being Tamir’s voice in seeing this imaginative and prescient for our neighborhood.”

Tamir’s siblings, Tajai, Tasheonna and Tayvon additionally addressed the viewers as they remembered their brother.

As a part of the celebration, 19 doves had been launched into the air by the Rice members of the family earlier than the household then reduce a ribbon, and launched butterflies into the backyard.