Website Hacked

Cleveland's official government website was down Monday morning after officials said it was attacked overnight. The online group Anonymous claims it sabotage the website as a response to the killing of 12-year-old Tamir Rice by a Cleveland police officer.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The so-called "hacktivist" group Anonymous has taken credit for shutting down the city of Cleveland's website after a city police officer shot and killed 12-year-old Tamir Rice, whom police believed to be armed.

The manager of the city's server called police about 3:30 a.m. Monday to report the website was "under attack," according to police and city officials. A short time later, the city's website went down and is still unaccessible.

Anonymous is taking credit for the attack, claiming it's in response to the police shooting Tamir, who was carrying a BB gun in a park outside Cudell Recreation Center.

Police said they were responding to reports of a "male with a gun threatening," and Tamir did not follow orders from the officers to keep his hands up. Instead, police said, he lifted his shirt and removed the gun from his waistband, and the officer fired two shots. At least one hit Tamir in the stomach, and he later died at MetroHealth Medical Center.

In a video message posted on YouTube, Anonymous charges that an "untrained rookie officer" shot Tamir "in cold blood," and asks why the officer did not Taser the child.

"Police of the United States you will learn in due time once anonymous has shut down your sites that we will not stand for your ignorant untrained rookie cops," the message said.

#TangoDown: Anonymous close Cleveland City govt website over 12yo shooting death http://t.co/FqE4j2hzWw yes, http://t.co/9lx2l0Fxxr is DOWN — Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) November 24, 2014

Cleveland spokesman Dan Ball said residents who need services and are unable to connect to the website can call City Hall at 216-644-2900 or dial 311 for information.