What happened to Tyre Nichols? Five officers fired over Memphis man’s death
Tyre Nichols, an African-American man of age 29, passed away following a severe beating during a traffic stop. Five Memphis police officers have been named as having been involved in the unfortunate death of Nichols. The Memphis Police Department fired the officers on Friday.
The 29-year-old died three days after the officers pulled him over at a traffic stop. The Washington Post reported that Tyre Nichols initially fled but was caught soon after. He allegedly complained of shortness of breath.
Tyre Nichols died three days after his violent traffic stop arrest on January 7
On January 7, 2023, 29-year-old Tyre Nichols was pulled over at a traffic stop for alleged reckless driving. Tyre supposedly then ran away on foot, which forced the officers to approach him. They eventually caught Tyre and took him into custody. That was when the situation turned violent. Nichols reportedly suffered a broken neck and faced cardiac arrest due to a fatal confrontation.
Nichols was immediately rushed to the hospital as he complained of shortness of breath. The 29-year-old succumbed to his injuries on January 10, three days after the fatal confrontation. Authorities are yet to reveal the cause of the death of Tyre Nichols. A photo of him in an injured state at the hospital has been made public by his family. Tyre was observed to have many bruises and swollen eyes.
Several protests broke out all over Memphis, where protestors demanded the release of video footage showing the arrest. Footage capturing the arrest has not yet been revealed to the public. A police spokesperson stated that it would be available to the public once Tyre’s family gets a chance to view it.
The Memphis Police Department has identified five police officers who were allegedly involved in the case - Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Justin Smith, and Emmitt Martin III. On Friday, the Memphis PD announced that they fired all five of them. Police Chief Cerleyn Davis stated:
“The egregious nature of this incident is not a reflection of the good work our officers perform, with integrity every day.”
HuffPost reported that Tyre Nichols’s family mentioned that he died of kidney failure and cardiac arrest. They have also retained Benjamin Crump as their legal representative. Crump, a well-known civil rights attorney, addressed the incident and stated:
“We join Tyre’s family in supporting the Department’s decision to terminate the five officers who brutalized him, ultimately causing his death. This is the first step towards achieving justice for Tyre and his family. They must also be held accountable for robbing this man of his life and his son of a father.”
Crump continued:
“In the coming days, we will review the video footage from this violent attack… providing the family and community more clarity into what led to the loss of this young man, father, and son. We will continue to demand transparency and accountability in this case, and will not stop until we achieve full justice for Tyre and his family.”
A news conference will be held on January 23, where Tyre Nichols’s family and attorney Crump will address the public for the first time. According to The Washington Post, the FBI, the Department of Justice, and US Attorney Kevin Ritz's office have all started a civil rights inquiry.
Crump further spoke about Tyre Nichols’s tragic death and said that no one should lose their life at a “simple traffic stop.”
Police are yet to reveal details after Tyre’s death since it is an ongoing investigation
According to a statement made by the Memphis Police Department on the internal investigation into the case, all of the officers involved were hired between 2017 and 2020. The statement further said,
“After a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding this incident, we have determined that five (5) MPD officers violated multiple department policies, including excessive use of force, duty to intervene, and duty to render aid.”
In 2020, Durham Police Chief N.C. Davis was one of the loudest and most active voices asking for police reforms. Davis said:
“The emotions and feelings that we see expressed out on the streets of cities all across the country are felt in a way that is substantiated. There have been years and years of systemic racism in law enforcement.”
The officers have been terminated; however, no charges have yet been pressed against them. Tyre Nichols was a former worker at FedEx and supposedly loved skateboarding. The 29-year-old fought for his life for around three days but succumbed to his injuries on January 10. Police are yet to release all the details regarding Tyre’s death since it is an ongoing investigation.
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