Tyre Nichols: Memphis Law Cook For Unrest As Bodycam Footage Set To Be Released

In a video statement released Wednesday eve, Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis announced body camera footage showing the arrest of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-onetime Black human being who died iii days later on a traffic halt amongst law, will be released “inward the coming days” as well as urged the community not to answer with violence in addition to destruction. Davis described the beating that Nichols received during the arrest as “heinous, reckless together with inhumane.”

Video Transcript

CERELYNDAVIS: In lite of the horrific circumstances surrounding the expiry of Tyre Nichols, it is absolutely incumbent upon me, your chief, to address the condition of what the Memphis Police Department is doing, has done, together with volition proceed to do inward furtherance of finding truth inward this tragic loss, ensuring nosotros communicate amongst honesty together with transparency, as well as that there is absolute accountability for those responsible for Tyre’s expiry.

As y’all know, 5 Memphis Police officers were terminatedfinal calendar week. These officers were institute to be directly responsible for the physical abuse of Mr. Nichols. Concurrent within that investigation, other MPD officers are nevertheless under investigation for section policy violations. Some infractions are less egregious than others.

As this investigation as well as other external investigations go on, I hope full together with consummate cooperation from the Memphis Police Department with the Department of Justice, the FBI, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation,together with the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office to make up one’s mind the entire orbit of facts that contributed to Tyre Nichols death. Aside from being your master of police force, I am a citizen of this community nosotros part. I am a mother. I am a caring human beingness who wants the best for all of us.

This is not simply a professional failing. This is a failing of basic humanity toward another individual. This incident was heinous, reckless, and inhumane. And inwards the vein of transparency, when the video isreleased in the coming days, you will consider this for yourselves. I expect y’all to experience what the Nichols family unit feels. I wait yous to feel outraged inward the disregard of basic human rights, every bit our police force officers hold taken an oath to do the opposite of what transpired on the video.

I await our citizens to exercise their First Amendment right to protest, to demand action as well as results. But nosotros need to ensure our community is rubber inwards this physical process. None of this is a calling menu for incitingviolence or destruction on our community or against our citizens. In our hurt, inwards our offend too frustration, in that location’s even so operate to be done to construct each other upwards, to go on the momentum of improving our constabulary and community relationships as well as partnerships, to show those who sentry us now that this conduct is non what volition define our community as well as our dandy urban center.

This is not a reflection of the adept run that many Memphis Police officers do every day. What comes side by side is our definingmoment. What we all do side by side tin be that reflection of our graphic symbol.

I am not wavering in my commitment to yous to have a police force that is hither to serve together with protect you lot. Those 5 officers together with others failed our community too they failed the Nichols family. And that is beyond regrettable. I have met alongside too offered condolences to Tyre’s female parent too father too hold asked for the support of our community leaders too clergy inward this extremely hard instant. But words are alone temporarysalves that demand to be followed by true, responsible activeness in addition to change.

It is my intent every bit a proactive measure out to ensure that a consummate together with independent review is conducted on all of the Memphis Police Department’s specialized units inwards the commitment of my executive leadership to ensure that policies in addition to procedures are adhered to in our daily encounters amongst the citizens we are sworn to serve. In the days ahead, I ask that you lot continue to pray for the family unit of Tyre Nichols, the MemphisPolice Department, and our keen city.