Christian rapper Lecrae Moore recently reflected on the shooting death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice by Cleveland police officer Timothy Loehmann for playing around with a pellet gun, calling the decision "foolish."
In a Facebook post on Saturday evening, the 35 year old chart-topping artist recalled a similar incident which happened when he was 13, thanking God for the different response of the police officer who approached him at the time.
"Part of my testimony is how I was harassing people with a pellet gun as a 13yr old and was apprehended by police. But I'm still ALIVE! I wasn't shot down. Those cops did a good job," Moore wrote.
"One officer decided not to arrest me years ago but instead challenged me to get in my Bible. Thank God for His grace," he added.
A wrongful death lawsuit against Officers Loehmann and Frank Garmback asserts that they acted "unreasonably, negligently (and) recklessly" when Loehmann shot and killed Rice who was playing with an "airsoft" pellet gun, on Nov. 22.
"Had the defendant officers properly approached Tamir and properly investigated his possession of the replica gun they would undoubtedly have determined ... that the gun was fake and that the subject was a juvenile," noted the suit. It added that Loehmann and Garmback had "no probable cause to arrest Tamir Rice" and "failed to secure timely medical assistance " as he lay on the ground alive and bleeding."
Rice's death sparked national outrage, with thousands calling for the conviction of the two police officers.
Continuing his Facebook post, Moore noted that he has a great deal of respect for police officers who exhibit good policing.
"My family members are police officers. I have close friend who work for the Sheriffs dept. They are good cops. NO ONE is saying good cops don't exists. Nor are we saying the people media has focused on don't have jaded pasts. We all do!"
However, the "All I Need Is You" rapper noted that even though he turned his life around and has lived as an upstanding citizen following his teenage antics, he has still been affected by aggressive policing.
"After becoming a law abiding citizen, some things stayed the same. I used to drive my own car all over the nation performing. But I had to deal with the following," he explained.
"I was pulled over 4 times in 1 hour one day in East Texas. I got a ticket for having a frame around my license plate. I was repeatedly asked why my car smelled like marijuana. (It didn't. No one was allowed to smoke ANYTHING in that car. I kept it smelling like that gas station "new leather" spray even though I had cloth seats," he noted.
"I was pulled over on my way to a show and they said my bumper (on my rental car) looked suspicious. They ripped the seats out looking for drugs. (Found none) and left me to put them back in. I was pulled over last month in Chicago after a show. The driver said 'they are gonna pull us over cause it's too many of us (black and Hispanics) in this car and this area is known for that.' The cop pulled us over and after recognizing me let us go. Never said why we were being pulled over," said Moore.
"I have tooooons of stories. I wish I didn't. Some foolish rappers make it difficult for the good ones just like some foolish cops make it difficult for the good ones. Stand firm!" he concluded.
