Tyre Nichols, then 29 years old, was the subject of a traffic stop on January 7 in Memphis, Tennessee. His family’s lawyers claim that he was severely beaten by the police officers who pulled him over, to the point of needing medical attention. Just three days later, he passed away.
His lawyers claim that video footage shows police officers “non-stop beating” Nichols.
He had no way to defend himself. Those police officers used him like a human piata. For three minutes, the boy was “subjected to an unrelenting, unapologetic, and nonstop beating,” the boy’s attorney, Antonio Romanucci, said at a news conference, as reported by CNN.
All of the law enforcement officials who were involved in Nichols’ arrest were also Black. His mother told the BBC that he had been skating and watching the sunset at a park before heading home. On Monday, he showed his family the footage of the stop for the first time.
Officials didn’t say much, but they did say that Nichols was stopped for “reckless driving” and that he tried to run away on foot after a confrontation. According to The New York Times, the released video shows police “pepper spray[ing], shocking[Nichols] with a stun gun, and restrain[ing]” him.
Both state and federal authorities are currently looking into Nichols’ death. The officers “used excessive force” and “failed to intervene or provide help,” so an internal investigation is already underway in Memphis, as reported by the Times.
Who was Tyre Nichols?
Nichols was a member of the second shift at FedEx, the parcel delivery company. Reports from his family indicate that at 7 o’clock every night, during his workday, he would take a meal break and return home to his mother.
Nichols was a dad of a 4-year-old boy who loved taking pictures of sunsets and skating. His mom RowVaughn Wells said he had a tattoo of her name on his arm.
She gushed to the New York Times, “That made me proud.” Most children omit their mothers’ maiden names from legal documents. My child had a perfect heart.
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What Happened During The Traffic Stop?
Family attorneys said Monday that Nichols was stopped by police on January 7 for alleged reckless driving. The police said there was a “confrontation” when they approached the car, that he ran away, and then another “confrontation” when they apprehended him.
Nichols was left “bloody, swollen, and unconscious” after the encounter and died several days later. Officials have been sparing with information about the incident.
Nichols’s family and lawyers have seen a recording they say shows a three-minute beating, but the public has not seen it yet. A representative for the group, Antonio Romanucci, stated that officers used pepper spray and a stun gun on Nichols before restraining him.
Those police officers used him as a human piata, Romanucci told the press. “It was extremely violent; in fact, it was downright savage.” According to the family’s legal team, Nichols expressed a desire to return home during the encounter.
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According to statements given to the media, the video showed that Nichols “called repeatedly for his mother” during the beating, which took place about 100 yards from her home.
On January 7, 2018, Tyre Nichols Was Arrested Following A Violent Traffic Stop. He Died Three Days Later
Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old male, was stopped for allegedly driving recklessly on January 7th, 2023. Tyre allegedly took off running, drawing police attention to himself. Later, they located Tyre and arrested him. It was at that point that things escalated into violence. During a fatal confrontation, Nichols reportedly broke his neck and nearly went into cardiac arrest.
When Nichols complained of being short of breath, paramedics hurried him to the hospital. On January 10, three days after the fatal confrontation, the 29-year-old victim succumbed to his wounds. The investigation into Tyre Nichols’s death is ongoing, and the cause of death has not been made public. His loved ones have released a picture of him in his injured state at the hospital. Several bruises and swollen eyes were visible on Tyre.
Protesters demanded the release of video footage showing the arrest, which led to several demonstrations across Memphis. Not yet seen in public: footage of the arrest. Once Tyre’s family has had a chance to watch it, a police spokesperson said it would be made public.
Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Justin Smith, and Emmitt Martin III are the five police officers named by the Memphis Police Department as suspects in the case. On Friday, it was announced that all five had been terminated from their positions with the Memphis Police Department. To quote Police Chief Cerleyn Davis:
Why Was Tyre Nichols Pulled Over?
Nichols was pulled over by police in Memphis due to his erratic driving. The 29-year-old fled the scene of a traffic stop but was apprehended after what police in Memphis say were two separate confrontations.
After his arrest, Nichols complained of shortness of breath and was taken to the hospital, where his condition quickly deteriorated to critical.
Family members reported after the incident that he was also sprayed and restrained. Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith were all terminated on January 20, 2023, following an internal investigation.
Officers used excessive force, failed to intervene, and failed to render aid, according to a statement released by the department after the arrest.
The police officer’s loved ones were understandably curious about what led to his arrest after he was taken into custody for reckless driving, but they remained unconvinced that the official explanation was adequate.
Mulroy said, “I think the answer to all those questions is yes, regardless of race, they could be influenced by poor department training or the actions of other officers.”
Conclusion
Crump claimed that Nichols was tased, pepper sprayed, and restrained, whereas Romanucci claimed that he was kicked. In other words, he had no way to defend himself. They used him like a human pinata to break up a party. Over the course of three minutes, this young boy was subjected to an unrelenting, unapologetic, and nonstop beating.
