Grand central being shut down in anticipation of Tyre Nichols protests Tyre Nichols.
Officials in Memphis on Friday released police video from the violent arrest of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man whose death earlier this month has led to second-degree murder charges against five officers, who were fired over the incident. Nichols died three days after what his family and authorities described as a brutal encounter that stemmed from a traffic stop.
The four videos — posted on the city of Memphis' Vimeo account shortly before 7 p.m. EST — were taken from police body cameras and street surveillance cameras. They show officers first removing Nichols from a vehicle after pulling him over, an initial struggle when Nichols breaks loose and runs away from the officers, and then disturbing images of Nichols being restrained and beaten by five officers at a suburban intersection. The videos show different angles of Nichols being pepper sprayed, kicked in the head while being restrained, punched and struck multiple times with a baton.
The first body camera video shows a police officer approaching a car stopped at a red light with his gun drawn while Nichols is being forcibly pulled out and pushed to the ground by another officer. An officer threatens to break his hands if he doesn't put them down.
As the officers scream and try to restrain him, Nichols remains relatively calm.
"OK, I'm on the ground," he says. "You guys are doing a lot, I'm just trying to go home."
The officers continue to push Nichols on the ground, when the officer wearing the body camera pulls out his Taser gun and points it at Nichols's leg. Soon after, another officer pepper sprays him, and that is when Nichols seems to break loose and run down a street.
A second video, taken from an elevated street surveillance camera, shows officers restraining and beating Nichols at a different location, a suburban intersection.
The video, which has no sound, shows two officers holding Nichols on the ground, when a third officer approaches and kicks Nichols in the face twice. A fourth officer deploys a retractable baton and begins beating Nichols, hitting him in the back. Nichols stands up and stumbles while being held by two officers, when another one punches him in the face several times until the blows make Nichols collapse.
The third video shows bodycam footage and audio of the beating, after officers detain Nichols at the intersection. While he is being restrained on the ground, the officer wearing the camera pepper sprays Nichols repeatedly.
"Mom, mom, mom!" Nichols screams as an officer yells, "give me your hands!"
The officer wearing the bodycam steps away from Nichols, breathing heavily, seemingly affected by the pepper spray. He then approaches the officers restraining Nichols and deploys the retractable baton.
"Watch out," he warns the officers. "I'm going to baton the f*** out of you," he yells at Nichols, hitting him three times, punctuating each blow with, "Give us your hands!" The crack of the baton is audible in the video.
Law enforcement agencies in Southern California are preparing for protests after the release of video showing the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols at the hands of former Memphis police officers.
The 67 minuters of footage released Friday is graphic and disturbing, showing officers repeatedly and violently punching and kicking Nichols. He was hospitalized and died three days later.
The Los Angeles Police Department issued a statement condemning the actions of the Memphis officers and calling for demonstrations to remain peaceful.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said it is preparing for the possibility of disturbances after the footage is made public. and is coordinating with other state, local and federal agencies.
"Our patrol stations and specialized units remain in a state of readiness to respond to any disturbances that might occur," the LASD said.
"The Sheriff's Department supports the first amendment and the people's right to protest." #LAPD has set up a line and begun moving in to kettle protestors at 1st and main. Legal observers and media heavily outnumber protestors #TyreNichols
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