Killing of Tyre Nichols
On January 7, 2023, Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old black man, was fatally injured by five black police officers in Memphis, Tennessee, and died three days later. The officers, all members of the Memphis Police Department (MPD) SCORPION unit, pulled Nichols from his car before pepper spraying and tasering him. Nichols broke free and ran toward his mother's house, which was less than a mile (1.6 km) away. Five black officers caught up with Nichols near the house, where they punched, kicked and pepper sprayed him, and struck him with a baton. Medics on the scene failed to administer care for 16 minutes after arriving. Nichols was admitted to the hospital in critical condition.
Still image from pole-mounted CCTV footage | |
| Date |
|
|---|---|
| Time | ≈ 8:34 p.m. (CST) |
| Location | Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 35.03013°N 89.83903°W |
| Type | Homicide by blunt trauma, police brutality |
| Deaths | Tyre Nichols |
| Accused |
|
| Convicted | Desmond Mills Jr. |
| Charges | Federal:
State:
|
| Verdict | Mills: Pleaded guilty |
| Convictions | Mills: Deprivation of rights under color of law resulting in death, conspiracy to make false statements, all state charges |
The officers reported that they stopped Nichols for reckless driving. The MPD released four edited video clips from police body cameras and a nearby pole-mounted camera. MPD Police Chief Cerelyn J. Davis later stated that the department had reviewed camera footage and could not find any evidence of probable cause for the traffic stop.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the United States Department of Justice both opened investigations into the incident. The autopsy determined the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head, and the manner of death as homicide.
The five officers who assaulted Nichols were discharged from the MPD, effective January 8, 2023. They were arrested and charged on January 26 with second-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, official misconduct, and official oppression. Four of the officers have pled not guilty to the charges. One officer, Desmond Mills Jr., pled guilty to federal charges of deprivation of rights and conspiracy and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors on November 2, 2023. The MPD has disciplined, relieved of duty, dismissed, or arrested thirteen officers in total regarding their conduct. Memphis Fire Services terminated three employees for their failure to evaluate or assist Nichols. After the release of the videos, widespread protests began on January 27.
The five officers involved were also charged with civil rights violations by federal authorities in connection with the killing. One of them later pled guilty to these charges. He later agreed to plead guilty to all state charges, including murder.