It was previously reported that the city of Cleveland, OH filed a claim against the family of Tamir Rice to reimburse the $500 bill “for emergency medical services rendered as the decedent’s last dying expense.”
12-year-old Tamir Rice died on November 23, 2014 after being shot by police while playing with a toy gun.
Rice’s family attorney says the city’s claims “display a new pinnacle of callousness and insensitivity.” Apparently city officials feel the same way. Cleveland’s mayor and other city officials apologized Thursday in a news conference and announced they would withdraw the claim. “I want to start off again apologizing to the Rice family if this, in fact, has added to any grief or pain that they may have,” said Mayor Frank Jackson. Per NBC News, the claim filed Wednesday was a “routine” result of the probate process, in which Tamir’s estate asked for a billing statement for services rendered to identify any potential creditors.
“Because of that process being routine, none of the managers were notified of this before it was filed,” said Richard Horvath, the city’s chief corporate counsel.
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