Tyre Nichols was a black man living in Memphis, TN who died in hospital on January 10th after several police officers severely beat him at a traffic stop on January 7th.
On the Evening of January 7th, 2023 Nichols was driving home when police officers stopped him. Supposedly, they did so because of “reckless driving.” However, Memphis police chief C.J. Davis stated the police department couldn’t back up that claim using video footage.
Whatever the case, the police officers pulled Nichols out of his car. He protested that he hadn’t done anything. After which, the police officers pushed him to the ground before trying to pin him. Nichols was tased and pepper sprayed but managed to break free before running from the scene. Police officers caught up to him less than half a mile away. This time, they gave him a brutal beating, which included kicks, punches, and the use of a baton. Nichols showed no sign of striking back throughout the process. He died in the hospital on January 10th. An autopsy revealed that he had suffered “extensive bleeding caused by a severe beating.” Something wholly unsurprising to those who have watched the released video of the incident.
The police department fired the five black police officers who beat Nichols on January 20th. Subsequently, they charged the five with second-degree murder on January 26th. Finally, the police department released the video of the incident on January 27th. Protests started in Memphis right away. Similarly, people took to the streets throughout other U.S. cities. So far, the protests have remained relatively peaceful.
