- Tuesday, March 04, 2025
By: Shubham Ghosh
Protests erupted in the US after horrifying video footage was released on Friday (27) of some policemen beating Tyre Nichols in Memphis earlier this month, leading to injuries to which he later succumbed.
The city of Memphis on Friday (local time) released four videos that show officers kicking and beating Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, The New York Times reported.
"Mom, Mom, Mom": Videos of fatal police beating up man in US released
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Memphis civic leaders and the family of Nichols have asked people to protest peacefully, as per NYT report.
US president Joe Biden also joined their call in a statement on Thursday (26) afternoon.
The police department in New York City in a statement said that officials were preparing for the possibility of protests.
Calling for “justice” for her deceased son, RowVaughn Wells said on Friday that the five officers had “disgraced” their families, but that she would also pray for them, the NYT report added.
Nichols, who was pulled out of his car by the officers, could be heard saying in the footage, “I’m just trying to go home,” and at one point he repeatedly screams, “Mom, mom, mom.”
Nichols was hospitalized after the arrest on January 7 and died three days later due to injuries, according to police.
Five officers have been charged with murder, according to NYT.
Video taken from a remotely controlled camera mounted on a utility pole in the area showed the officers hitting Nichols at least nine times without visible provocation, as per CNN.
An officer is shown shoving Nichols hard to the pavement with a knee or leg when the camera turns towards the incident site.
According to CNN, Nichols is pulled by his shoulders and then kicked in the face. He was then pulled into a sitting position. The video shows Nichols being hit in the back with what seems to be a baton. After being pulled to his knees, Nichols was again beaten.
After being pulled to his feet, the officers hit Nichols in the face multiple times while his hands were kept behind his body after which he falls to his knees, according to CNN.
In the video, an officer then appears to kick Nichols. More than three minutes after the encounter is seen on camera, officers let go of Nichols, and he rolls onto his back.
After one minute, Nichols was dragged along the pavement and propped up in a sitting position against the side of a car. After 10 minutes, a person who seems to be a paramedic finally attends him.
(ANI)
