I can totally agree/admit that pellet guns & BB guns are not toys, and should not be considered as such... and at the same time agree with Greg F. for a change. No matter WHAT the gun was, the response by those officers was careless stupid.
IF that kid had pointed that pellet gun at someone, or at the cops, after being told from a distance to put it down, THEN there might be a justification for firing at him, depending on who and where. They claimed that he was 'drawing' it, and fired at him within 2 seconds. The police car was still rocking from its sudden stop when that cop decided in the 1st second that there was a threat and fired in the 2nd second. Tamir Rice died not even having a chance to obey a command.

I am totally angered and bewildered that the issue of a kid having a 'dangerous' pellet gun is getting more static than the issue of cops shooting first and asking questions later.