A portrait of Tyre Nichols is displayed at a memorial service for him on Jan. 17 in Memphis, Tenn. Nichols died three days after Memphis cops beat him throughout a visitors cease on Jan. 7.

Adrian Sainz/AP

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Adrian Sainz/AP

Mostly peaceful protests over police brutality have been carried out across the nation after the public release of body camera footage introduced the Memphis police killing of Tyre Nichols into clearer image.

Nichols, a 29-year-old Black motorist, was pulled over Jan. 7 for what police mentioned was reckless driving. After making an attempt to flee on foot, Nichols was aggressively overwhelmed by police, newly launched police video reveals. Three days later, he died within the hospital.

Here’s what else we all know.

Who was Tyre Nichols?

Nichols, a father of a 4-year-old son, was recognized to his household as an avid skateboarder and nature photographer from Sacramento, Calif., in keeping with The Associated Press. He arrived in Memphis simply earlier than the pandemic, and later began a job with FedEx, a significant employer there. Nichols had been with the corporate for about 9 months earlier than his dying, The New York Times reported.

“He was one of those people who made everyone around them happy,” Nichols’ step-grandmother Lucille Washington said at a memorial service.

Police physique cam video reveals a violent arrest

Police said on Jan. 8 that Nichols was taken into custody after a visitors cease that concerned two confrontations with officers. During the preliminary confrontation, Nichols fled the scene of the visitors cease, police mentioned.

Following the arrest, Nichols then complained of shortness of breath, in keeping with authorities, and was taken to the hospital in essential situation, the place he died on Jan. 10.

His household has mentioned the police beat him so severely that he was unrecognizable.

The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office said in an announcement earlier this week that it understood the “reasonable request from the public” to view the video of Nichols’ dying.

The metropolis of Memphis released the four-part footage on Vimeo on Friday night.

In the movies, officers are seen dragging Nichols from his automotive and shouting profanities all through the confrontation. An officer tries to deploy a Taser at Nichols after which begins to chase him on foot. “I’m just trying to go home,” Nichols is heard saying. Later, officers are seen repeatedly kicking, punching and utilizing a baton to strike Nichols as he lies on the bottom. At one level he is heard yelling “Mom.” Lawyers for the Nichols household says this encounter occurred inside 100 yards of the household’s dwelling.

Ben Crump, the household’s legal professional, in contrast the footage to the video of the 1991 Los Angeles police beating of Rodney King, one other Black motorist.

Protests have been held in a number of cities following launch of police video

Mostly peaceable protests broke out in cities across the U.S. following the discharge of the movies, with demonstrators main marches and chants towards police brutality and shutting down highways and intersections in some cities.

In Memphis, a gaggle of demonstrators gathered at a downtown park after which took to the streets, shutting down the I-55 bridge over the Mississippi River between Memphis and West Memphis. They chanted “no justice, no peace” and “justice for Tyre,” closing the bridge for almost three hours earlier than peacefully disbanding.

In different elements of Memphis, individuals gathered in church buildings or small teams to replicate on the wrenching and somber second for town.

A protest in downtown Los Angeles turned tense when a small group protesters demonstrated outdoors of Los Angeles Police Department headquarters, which was blocked by police in riot gear, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Other small, however principally peaceable protests, have been additionally held in Times Square in New York City, close to the White House in Washington, D.C., in Seattle, Detroit and Atlanta, in addition to in different cities from the East Coast to the West Coast.

Organizers are planning vigils, marches and demonstrations throughout the U.S. over the weekend.

Five former officers have been indicted and jailed in connection to Nichols’ dying

Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith each face several charges, together with second-degree homicide, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.

Like Nichols, the entire former officers — who have been fired earlier than Thursday’s indictments — are Black.

On Wednesday, Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis launched a video statement discussing “the horrific circumstances” of Nichols’ dying. She known as it an expert failing and mentioned “the incident was heinous, reckless and inhumane.”

During a information convention asserting the indictments of the 5 officers, prosecutors gave new particulars about what occurred through the visitors cease.

Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy mentioned that whereas every of the 5 officers performed a special position, “the actions of all of them resulted in the death of Tyre Nichols, and they are all responsible.”

A grand jury returned indictments and delivered all 5 officers the identical precise expenses.

Less than three hours after officers launched the physique cam footage, Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner said two deputies who appeared on the scene of the arrest had been relieved of their duties pending the result of an inside investigation.

Other businesses are concerned within the case

Crump, one of many household’s attorneys, mentioned throughout a news conference earlier this week that police used a stun gun and pepper spray on Nichols along with restraining him through the arrest.

“Yet again, we’re seeing evidence of what happens to Black and brown people from simple traffic stops,” Crump mentioned. “You should not be killed because of a simple traffic stop.”

In an announcement following Thursday’s information convention, Crump mentioned though the 5 officers have been indicted, policing within the U.S. wants an excessive amount of reform.

“This tragedy meets the absolute definition of a needless and unnecessary death. Tyre’s loved ones’ lives were forever changed when he was beaten to death, and we will keep saying his name until justice is served,” he mentioned.

The police chief said earlier this week that the 5 officers violated a number of division insurance policies, “including excessive use of force, duty to intervene, and duty to render aid.”

Two Memphis Fire Department staff have been also “relieved of duty” as an inside investigation is being performed.

Memphis Fire Department spokesperson Qwanesha Ward instructed NPR that the workers — who weren’t recognized — have been “involved in the initial patient care” of Nichols. She didn’t go into additional particulars.

The Justice Department and the FBI have additionally launched a civil rights investigation into Nichols’ dying and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation launched a separate investigation.

NPR’s Joe Hernandez contributed to this report.