WASHINGTON, D.C. — The list of names of people killed by police officers is growing; 12-year-old Tamir Rice’s name is on that list; his mother Samaria is in Washington so lawmakers won't forget him.
“I’ve been very overwhelmed and emotional, even with the invite and knowing that other families are going to be in the room and we all share a common pain," said Rice.
Rice spoke exclusively with News 5, saying she was invited to be Ohio Congresswoman Shontel Brown’s guest as President Biden gave his State of the Union speech on Tuesday.
Rice is among several other parents invited by lawmakers. And what connects the parents to each other? They all lost their children at the hands of police.
It’s been almost nine years for this mother and no indictment; the DOJ declined to reopen her son’s case early last year.
“Sometimes, I feel very hopeless,” said Rice. “The way that this country is being guided and led, it is really a fighting battle to the end.”
In the meantime, it’s been more than seven months for Jayland Walker’s family. They were also invited to the Capitol.
Eight Akron officers shot and killed the 25-year-old after a police chase.
“I know that people are still thinking about this and thinking about my son,” said Pamela Walker. “It seems to be happening on a regular now.”
It is not a coincidence that these family members are on the national stage exactly one month after Tyre Nichols was brutally beaten to death by a group of Memphis police officers.
Lawmakers said they had a roundtable with these families Tuesday and plan to take the families' concerns to the White House.
“This is not an issue that has left the conscious or the forefront of the members of the CBC [Congressional Black Caucus] just as timing and opportunity presented itself, we did what we could to be a united force for those families and get them in front of the people of America," said Brown.
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