A police officer accused shooting and killing an unarmed burglary suspect in 2015 has been terminated from the Cleveland Division of Police.

Alan Buford was acquitted earlier this year of negligent homicide after fatally shooting Brandon Jones, 18, outside a store on March 19, 2015, Fox 8 Cleveland reports.

Buford and his partner confronted Jones as he was leaving the store with a bag of stolen cigarettes, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office said.

Cleveland police said the officers got into a struggle with Jones when they tried to arrest him. That's when Buford fired his service weapon, killing Jones, who did not have a weapon.

In a press release issued Thursday, Buford was terminated from employment with the city. It states:

"After the adjudication of the criminal case, an administrative review of the incident was completed and the findings presented to the Director of Public Safety who conducted a pre-disciplinary hearing. After the pre-disciplinary hearing, Director of Public Safety Michael McGrath found that Patrol Officer Alan Buford did violate the Cleveland Division of Police Use of Force Policy by using force greater than what was necessary during the incident. Patrol Officer Alan Buford, who was hired by the Division of Police on August 19, 1996, is hereby terminated effective immediately."

The Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association also released a statement Thursday. For the complete statement, click here.