Audio released of a 911 call made to US police records the caller saying that the gun being waved around by a 12-year-old boy, Tamir Rice, who was shot by police in Cleveland was "probably fake"

Police in Cleveland in the US shot and killed a 12-year-old boy waving around what turned out to be a toy gun at a playground on Saturday.

In this latest incident, officers called to the scene fired at the boy twice, hitting him at least once in the stomach, after reports that he was pointing a gun at people.

The boy, identified by the county medical examiner's office as Tamir Rice, died early Sunday.

One of the police officers was in his first year in the force, it said.
Audio released of a 911 call made to police records the caller saying the gun was "probably fake."

Both officers have been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation, as is standard in such cases, Cleveland police said in a statement.

"Upon arrival on scene, officers located the suspect and advised him to raise his hands," the statement said.

"The suspect did not comply with the officers' orders and reached to his waistband for the gun.

"Shots were fired and the suspect was struck in the torso."

It added: "Further information reveals that the weapon which the 12-year-old suspect was in possession of is an 'airsoft' type replica gun resembling a semi-automatic pistol, with the orange safety indicator removed."

The death comes as the US awaits the outcome of a grand jury investigation into the police shooting of an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri.

Riots erupted in August after Michael Brown, 18, was shot dead in broad daylight by a white policeman. Fresh trouble is expected if the grand jury decides there is insufficient evidence to prosecute the officer, Darren Wilson.

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