Tyre Nichols.Photo: Adrian Sainz/AP/Shutterstock
Two Memphis firefighters involved in the “initial patient care” of a Black driver, who died three days after a Jan. 7 traffic stop that allegedly turned violent, were"relieved of duty"from their jobs, multiple outlets report. No additional details have been provided.
The driver in the traffic stop, Tyre Nichols, was pulled over for alleged reckless driving on Jan. 7 around 8:30 pm.In a statement, Memphis police said a “confrontation occurred” as officers tried to approach Nichols' vehicle, and he reportedly fled on foot. Nichols was 6'3" and about 140 pounds, according to his family’s lawyers.
Desmond Mills Jr.Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock
Officers pursued Nichols, 29, on foot, but “another confrontation occurred,” police said. Officers eventually arrested him and Nichols began to complain about being short of breath. An ambulance transported Nichols to St. Francis Hospital in critical condition. He died three days later, and an image of him in the hospital appears to show his face bruised and bloodied.
Demetrius Haley.Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock
Nichols' family recently viewed the body camera footage of his arrest for the first time, multiple outlets report, and they allege the clip shows officers savagely beating, restraining, and tasing him.
At a press conference atMt. Olive Cathedral CME Churchin Memphis, the driver’s stepfather said, “Our son ran because he was scared for his life.”
“…I don’t care what color — black, white, pink, purple, should [never] go through this,” Nichols' mother, Ravaughn Wells, said at the conference. “My son didn’t do no drug[s], didn’t carry no guns, he didn’t like confrontation, none of that, that’s why this is so hard.”
Emmitt Martin III.Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock
At the conference, Wells described her son as “damn near” perfect, calling him a “beautiful soul” who had her name tattooed on his arm. The family also said he loved photography, skateboarding, and computers,per CNN.
The family’s attorney, Benjamin Crump, said the video of the arrest – which has not been publicly released as of yet — “reminded us of the [1991 LAPD] Rodney King video,” calling it “deplorable” and “heinous, violent … troublesome on every level.”
Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.
Crump’s co-counsel, Antonio Romanucci, described the video’s contents as “an unadulterated, unabashed nonstop beating of this young boy for three minutes,” calling it “savage” and excessive. Crump said Nichols cried out for his mother several times during the three-minute incident.
Tadarrius Bean.Uncredited/AP/Shutterstock
The five officers involved in Nichols' arrest — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith — have been terminated from their jobs in the aftermath of the incident.
Speaking about the decision to terminate them, Police Chief Cerelyn Davissaid in a statement: “After a thorough review of the circumstances … we have determined that five Memphis Police Department officers violated multiple department policies, including excessive use of force, duty to intervene, and duty to render aid.”
Davis also said the department is working with the district attorney’s office and will eventually release the video of the traffic stop to the public.
“We understand and agree that transparency around the events surrounding the death of Mr. Tyre Nichols is critically important, especially the release of the video footage,” Mayor Jim Strickland and Chief CJ Davis said in a Jan. 17 statement, noting that the video will be released “after the completion of the internal investigation into the actions of the officers and after the family of Mr. Nichols has had the opportunity to review the video privately.”
In the meantime, Nichols' family is pushing for justice, and hopes murder charges will be levied against the involved officers. “Where is the humanity? [They] just beat him like a dog in the street,” Wells said.
“All my son was trying to do was get home. He was two minutes from the house when they stopped him. He was less than 80 yards away,” she continued.
The investigation continues.
To help combat systemic racism, consider learning from or donating to these organizations:
source: people.com
