The family of a 12-year-old African-American boy killed by US police officers in Ohio is demanding justice more than five months after the shooting.

Tamir Rice was shot by Cleveland police officer Timothy Loehmann in November 2014 while he was holding a toy gun.

His family asked why their lawsuit against the two officers involved is being delayed and the criminal investigation still remains pending.

“Less than a second, my son is gone and I want to know how long I gotta wait for justice,” Samaria Rice, Tamir’s mother, said on Monday.

The delay in probe is unacceptable because surveillance video shows the officer firing within two seconds of a police car stopping near Tamir.

Family attorney Walter Madison said the mother had to leave their home and live in a homeless shelter for a time to avoid living next to "the killing field of her son."

The attorney added that the victim’s body has not been put to rest because the investigation may need an additional medical examination.

“Tamir Rice not being finally laid to rest prevents emotional healing and incurs a daily expense,” court documents say. “The foot-dragging of this investigation has now spanned three seasons.”

Benjamin Crump, another attorney, questioned why the investigation is still pending, although there is a video of the incident.

“The video captures the whole episode and yet after five months and counting no one has been charged and no one has been held accountable and it breaks his mother's heart,” Crump said.

AGB/AGB