Tyre M. Cardwell-King
Birth date:
December 7, 2002
Death date:
September 14, 2016
Age at Death:
13
About
Tyre, a Columbus, OH teen, known to his friends as "Lil Boxx," was in a young scholars program at Linden McKinley STEM Academy and enjoyed playing many sports including hockey, football and basketball. His 7th grade teacher wrote on his memorial page: "He was an excellent student and his nickname in my class was Dr. King. He will always hold a special place in my heart. Sending all my prayers and love.” Source: https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/dispatch/obituary.aspx?n=tyre-m-cardwell-king&pid=181518590&fhid=9045
Columbus Police reported a police officer shot Tyre multiple times after he appeared to pull a handgun from his waistband during an encounter following a report of an armed robbery. Later, it was determined Tyre had an air pistol that fires BBs [a gun looked “almost identical” to the 9 mm Glock semi-automatic handguns carried by city police]. King was one of two suspects police confronted after responding to reports of an armed robbery. The teen later identified as the robber complied with officers’ commands to get on the ground, but Tyre reportedly began to flee toward a parked car and tug at his waistband for what appeared to be the grip of a firearm" per court records. An independent forensic report described Tyre as 5 feet tall, weighing <100 lbs. No one else was shot. Documents report it was an attempt to rob someone of $10.00 using a fake handgun. The robber was found guilty and sentenced to 3 years. Source: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/community-gathers-to-mourn-13-year-old-tyre-king-who-was-shot-by-cops_n_57e90936e4b08d73b8321f36
Was justice served?
No. A fatal shot to the head was not necessary for an individual teen. As of April, 2019, the police officer that shot Tyre was cleared by a grand jury as his actions shooting Tyre were found "to be within Police Division policy." Conflicting reports made this case difficult to evaluate. Witness accounts disagreed with what police reported. Some alleged Tyre was shot as he ran away but the autopsy revealed he was shot a total of three times, once in the left temple, once in the left chest, and once in the upper left abdomen. No evidence of drugs or alcohol was found. An independent forensic report ordered by the family concluded Tyre was shot in the back. Source: https://www.dispatch.com/news/20190418/teenagers-with-tyre-king-before-fatal-police-shooting-may-have-to-pay-up