Two more Memphis Police Department officers have been relieved of duty following the death of Tyre Nichols earlier this month.
Nichols died on January 10, three days after Memphis police pulled him over in a traffic stop. Nichols and the five former police officers charged in his killing are black. Authorities stopped Nichols on January 7 for “reckless driving” near Raines Road and Ross Road in Memphis.
Police said that during the stop a “confrontation occurred,” at which point Nichols ran away from police on foot as they attempted to apprehend him.
Surveillance footage of the incident allegedly showed the five police officers beating Nichols after they had caught up to him and placed him in handcuffs.
With the two latest Memphis police officers being relieved of their duties, the number of officers disciplined now stands at seven.
Officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmit Martin III, Desmond Mills, Jr., and Justin Smith have all been charged with two counts of official misconduct, local media reported, with one count of official oppression, second-degree murder, aggravated assault-act in concert, and two counts of aggravated kidnapping.
The Associated Press reported that the Memphis Fire Department officials announced on Monday that they had fired three emergency medical technicians that responded to the scene.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation into two of its deputies after the body camera footage was released on Friday evening.
“Having watched the videotape for the first time tonight, I have concerns about two deputies who appeared on the scene following the physical confrontation between police and Tyre Nichols,” Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner, Jr. said. “I have launched an internal investigation into the conduct of these deputies to determine what occurred and if any policies were violated. Both of these deputies have been relieved of duty pending the outcome of this administrative investigation.”
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said Monday all individuals involved in the events leading up to, during, and after the beating of Nichols could face additional charges.
“This includes the officer present at the initial encounter who has not — so far — been charged, Memphis Fire Department personnel, and persons who participated in preparing documentation of the incident afterward,” the district attorney’s office said.
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