Tamir Rice ' s mother said police threatened her when she arrived at scene of Rice 's shooting . Speaking at a Baptist church in Cleveland , Rice recalled how a seemingly normal November 22 morphed into tragedy as two Cleveland police officers pulled up to her son outside a recreation center across the street from her home . Rice , however , was shot when , police say , he reached for a toy gun in his locker in school . Mother tells reporters how two little boys delivered the news that police had shot Tamir . They urge Cleveland to charge police , not follow Brown , Garner grand - models .
Tamir Rice ' s mother said police threatened her when she arrived at scene of Rice 's shooting . Rice , however , was shot when , police say , he reached for a toy gun in his locker in school . Mother tells reporters how two little boys delivered the news that police had shot Tamir . They urge Cleveland to charge police , not follow Brown , Garner grand - models .