CLEVELAND — A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place for the grand opening of The Rice Butterfly Memorial.
3News live streamed the event and can be watched in a media player in this story.
The Tamir Rice Foundation unveiled a memorial that will honor the life of Tamir Rice, just a few weeks after he would have celebrated his 20th birthday.
The event also honored the sacrifices that Tajai Rice made when she survived police brutality on Nov. 22, 2014, at Cudell Recreation Center.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony began at 11 a.m. at Cudell Recreation Center, located at 1910 West Boulevard in Cleveland.
Throughout the event, many family members spoke and expressed their hopes that justice is coming soon and change not only in Cleveland but across the United States.
Many family members, officials and leaders spoke at the event, including the following:
- Rev. Evan Regis Bunch, Transitional Pastor Fifth Christian Church Disciples of Christ
- U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown
- Samaria Rice, Mother of Tamir Rice, Founder and CEO of the Tamir Rice Foundation
- Molly Nagin, Board Vice President of the Tamir Rice Foundation
- Michael Rakowitz, artist, Raxo Studios
- Tajai Rice, Sister of Tamir Rice, Survivor of Police Brutality at Cudell Park
- Tasheonna Rice, Sister of Tamir Rice
- Tayvon Rice, Brother of Tamir Rice
- Catch AnuVybe, Hip-Hop, Neo-Soul and R&B artists
- Dr. Diane Jones Allen, Principal Landscape Architect, Design Jones LLC
“Tamir should have had a park like this. All parks – all neighborhoods, all streets – should be a sanctuary,” said Senator Brown. “Every child in our city, in our country, should be able to play in a park, and walk through their neighborhoods, and eventually, drive a car down the street, without fearing for their lives. And because of the work of Tamir Rice’s mother Samaria, other sons and daughters will come to this place, and they will know that Tamir Rice’s life mattered and their lives matter.”
At the conclusion of the ceremony, family members and friends cut the ribbon and released butterflies.
“This butterfly memorial is very important to me and my family," said Samaria Rice. "This is the last memory that I have of my son, playing in the park as children should be able to play in parks in America. I thank the community and for your continued prayers love and support."
In 2014, 12-year-old Tamir Rice died after being fatally shot by Cleveland police officer Timothy Loehmann.
Tamir was shot after police received a call about a "guy with a pistol" outside Cleveland's Cudell Recreation Center. At that time, Tamir Rice had been playing with a pellet gun, but officers did not know that he was playing with a toy until after he was fatally shot twice.
More information on Tamir Rice's story, as well as information on the foundation, can be found HERE.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above previously aired on 3News on May 25, 2021.