A Tennessee sheriff has suspended two deputies and ordered a new investigation into Tire Nichols’ death after personally reviewing the disgusting video.
Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. said in a statement: “Having first seen the videotape tonight, I have concerns about two deputies who arrived at the scene following the physical confrontation between police and Tire Nichols.
“I have launched an internal investigation into the behavior of these MPs to determine what happened and whether any guidelines were breached,” he added. “These two MPs have been suspended pending the completion of this administrative inquiry.”
Street camera video of the altercation, which began above a traffic stop, shows two officers, who have not been identified, arriving at the scene after five punched and pinned Nichols, 29, to the ground.
The group of officers could be seen standing around the injured man, first shoving each other as he lay convulsing on the ground before an eighth officer appeared and paramedics arrived.
The video shows two more police officers arriving at the scene of Tire Nichols’ brutal beating while the group of police officers simply stand around and ignore the man writhing in pain
Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. has suspended two deputies who reacted to the scene after reviewing the video, which left him “sad and angry.”
Nichols died in hospital after being stabbed, kicked and punched in the head, hit three times with a metal baton and sprayed twice in the face with pepper spray
The brutal beatings, captured by police body cameras and a street surveillance camera, show the group of officers brutally kicking and punching Nichols while he is lying on the ground.
After handcuffing him and pinning him to the ground, three more officers arrive and the group stands by while Nichol is dragged and propped up to sit.
However, the injured man is unable to sit up and writes and shrugs, but the officers ignore him and two bang their fists on the hood of the patrol car.
Another couple also congratulate each other with a fist bump while continuing to ignore the thrashing Nichols.
Nichols family attorney Antonio Romanucci told MSNBC that the two suspended deputies could face criminal charges, like the five who were caught on camera beating the 29-year-old.
“I will not be at all surprised if more criminal charges are filed against police officers,” Romanucci said. “Am I surprised it’s taking so long?
I’ve been at it long enough, I’ve had to wait six months, a year to two years or not at all for charges, so the fact that at least the administrative part is getting off.
“I think we know what’s coming next. They will also be criminally investigated,” he added. “These officials who didn’t help and didn’t intervene – they should be looked at administratively and also criminally.”
Nichols can be seen leaning against the car, bloodied and barely conscious, as police ignored him, with at least four officers seen punching one another
Bonner has condemned the attack that left Nichols dead after he was tasered, kicked and punched in the head, hit three times with a metal baton and sprayed twice in the face with pepper spray.
“I am a second-generation law enforcement officer, and I am disturbed by what we have all seen captured on video,” Bonner said in a statement. This horrific incident has tarnished the badge that I wear and that many other good officers wear every day.
“I will do everything in my power to avoid another parent having to bury their child in such a senseless and tragic way.
“My heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of Tire Nichols. I am saddened and angry at his tragic death,” he added.
While the investigation into Nichols’ death continues, his stepfather Rodney Wells and his attorney, famed civil rights attorney Ben Crump, said the video showed other first responders should be reprimanded.
Tyre Nichols’ stepfather Rodney Wells (above) has called for criminal charges against the paramedics who appeared not to provide assistance after he was brutally beaten by police
Wells is calling for criminal charges to be filed against the paramedics who appeared to be on hand after his stepson was brutally beaten, while Crump, who was questioned by a white officer present at the start of Nichols’ traffic stop, has not yet been charged.
“Everyone — the fire department, the paramedics that came out, that stood around doing nothing — they’re just as guilty,” Wells told ABC News after the video’s release.
“Anyone who was active in the whole scene, the whole video, should be charged,” he added.
The five police officers who were fired and charged in Nichols’ death are Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith.
They are charged with second-degree murder, assault, aggravated kidnapping, misconduct and suppression of office.
Memphis Police Director Cerelyn Davis said other officers are being investigated for their involvement in the arrest.
Davis described the five officers’ actions as “disgusting, inconsiderate and inhumane”.
Charged with second degree murder are (top left to right) Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III and (bottom left to right) Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith
Video released Friday night shows Nichols screaming for his mother multiple times during the brutal Jan. 7 attack, which took place just blocks from his home.
‘Mummy! Mom,” Nichols yells as he is pinned to the ground by several police officers who are beating him.
Video shows police raining down at least nine punches on the FedEx employee while shouting obscenities during the nearly four-minute altercation.
In the videos, officials make claims about Nichols that are not supported by the footage or what the prosecutor or other officials said about the case.
In one of the videos, an officer claims Nichols wrestled for his gun at the first traffic stop before fleeing. The video does not show such an incident.
Paramedics arrive at the scene about five minutes after the beating, but do not appear to help Nichols immediately after cops claimed he was on drugs
After Nichols was handcuffed and leaned against a police car, several officers claimed he must have been high, but officers found no drugs at the scene.
The footage was widely condemned by police departments and unions across the country.
The national president of the Fraternal Order of Police issued a scathing statement in response to video of police beating Nichols.
Patrick Yoes said officers’ physical confrontation with Nichols “does not constitute legitimate police work or a traffic stop gone awry.”
Instead, Yoes called it a “criminal attack under the guise of the law.”