The mother of Tamir Rice, a black 12-year-old who was shot and killed by a white police officer in Cleveland in 2014, took to Instagram on Tuesday to blast activist Shaun King for profiting off of her son's death and brand him an 'imposter.'
The post came shortly after King - who had tried to raise money for Tamir's family after his death without the family's consent - posted a new podcast to his website titled 'I spoke to Samaria Rice this past week.'
The episode seems to have since been deleted, and is no longer listed under the episodes for 'Breakdown with Shaun King.'
'Why do you think it's so important to tell folks we had a conversation?' Rice asked King in her Instagram post, which was captioned: 'For anyone that wants to know the truth.'
'Well we talked and everything you said was very toxic and uncomfortable for me to hear that you raised additional money, and then say you did not want to bother me,' she continued.
'Personally, I don't understand how you sleep at night. I never gave you permission to raise nothing.'
'Along with the United States, you robbed me for the death of my son.'
Samaria Rice, left, the mother of Tamir Rice, called out activist Shaun King, right, in an Instagram post on Tuesday after he posted an episode of his podcast entitled 'I spoke to Samaria Rice this past week,' and detailed his thoughts on the conversation.
In her Instagram post, Rice criticized King, calling him an 'imposter that cannot be trusted.'
Tamir Rice was shot and killed by Timothy Loehmann, a 26-year-old white police officer, in Cleveland on November 22, 2014, when he was carrying a toy gun. His death quickly made national and international news, and sparked outrage across the country.
Shortly after his death, King held an online fundraiser for the Rice family, but attorneys for the family said at the time they had not spoken to King or knew who he was.
A court then seized the money on behalf of the family, the Washington Post reported in 2015, and set up a trustee to manage the funds, placing all the money into Tamir Rice’s estate, meaning that any withdrawal would require a judge’s ruling.
So, rather than being gifted the money directly, the Rice family would have to apply for each disbursement.
Tamir Rice, pictured, was just 12 years old when he was shot and killed by a white police officer in Cleveland, Ohio on November 22, 2014
In a blog post accompanying his episode on Tuesday, King said he and Rice spoke about the issue.
'It was a much needed conversation,' he wrote. 'I learned a lot. Listened a lot. Shared my heart. and pledged we would continue to fight to get justice and accountability for Tamir.'
He said he was shocked that Rice knew who he was, as he had spent the past few months trying to reach her 'through civil rights leader Opal Tometi and through the families of Oscar Grant and Philando Castile in an attempt to hear from her directly and answer any questions she might have.'
He said she was aware
