As the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation continues its examination of Memphis Police officers' use of force in the arrest of Tyre Nichols, the United States Department of Justice is also opening a civil rights investigation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee made the announcement Wednesday, a day after the City of Memphis said it intends to release video footage from the night of Jan. 7 when Nichols was pulled over for what police say was reckless driving.
Officers reported two confrontations with Nichols before apprehending him. He was then transported from the scene to a hospital because of what the Memphis Police Department said was shortness of breath. Nichols, a 29-year-old father, died three days later.
Nichols’ stepfather, Rodney Wells, publicly shared a hospital photo of Nichols taken the morning after his arrest. He appears unconscious, hooked to a breathing tube, and has what appears to be a swollen face and blood on his pillow.
Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and Police Chief CJ Davis said Tuesday that video footage of the incidentwould be shared publicly after MPD completed its own internal investigation and Nichols’ family had the opportunity to view it.
In an interview with television station Fox 13 Wednesday morning, Strickland said officials intend to meet with the family’s attorney early next week. The mayor called the situation “horribly tragic.”
“I’ve been praying for this family ever since it first began,” he said, adding later that he could “not imagine losing a child like this.”
When asked if he’d seen evidence of excessive force, Strickland said he would reserve announcing conclusions until after the completion of hearings for an unknown number of officers implicated in the arrest, expected by the end of the week.
He said officers were notified of department policy violations on Sunday and Monday and have the opportunity to defend themselves at an administrative hearing before they receive any sort of disciplinary action.
The mayor defended the amount of time it’s taken to release the footage, citing deference to MPD’s administrative and investigative process.
“We will get the truth out there. The truth will get there,” he said in the interview. “We will do our part, hopefully by next week.”
Nichols’ family and friends, who have been pressing for police transparency in the case, remembered him as a passionate skateboarder who had been an upbeat, independent and positive presence throughout his life at a memorial held for him on Tuesday.
