Cleveland police officers killed Tamir Rice within seconds of getting to the scene after receiving calls of a “man” with a gun in 2014. Rice was 12 years old and holding a toy gun. Regardless, he was shot dead in moments and a grand jury chose to not indict the officer responsible.

To make matters worse for the grieving family, the city of Cleveland is now charging Rice’s family $500 for his last ambulance ride, according to Yahoo News.

More specifically, a creditor’s claim was filed in Cuyahoga County Probate Court on Wednesday on behalf of the city, who is looking to be reimbursed “for emergency medical services rendered as the decedent’s last dying expense.”  The bill from Cleveland EMS breaks down to $450 for the ambulance to provide life support and $50 for mileage between the scene and the hospital.

“The callousness, insensitivity, and poor judgment required for the city to send a bill — its own police officers having slain 12-year-old Tamir — is breathtaking,” Subodh Chandra, an attorney for the family, said in a statement to WKYC3. “This adds insult to homicide.”

The problem here isn’t the dollar amount. It’s the principle.

Charging a family that’s been in a longstanding battle with the city that murdered their child for his last ride in an ambulance is far past insensitive. The only way that it could’ve been worse is if they showed up to the funeral and asked for the money then and there.

 

Photo Credit: Google Images