Memphis has shut down the ‘Scorpion’ police unit involved in the arrest of Tyre Nichols, who died on 10 January, three days after a traffic stop turned into a confrontation with officers.
Memphis police department has shut down the “Scorpion” unit involved in the fatal arrest of Tyre Nichols the day after the video of his beating by officers was released to the public.
Bodycam footage of the deadly arrest of Tyre Nichols was released on Friday evening, one day after five police officers were charged with his murder.
The grainy footage captures a violent confrontation between police and Nichols, where officers can be seen using fists, batons, and stun guns against him, then laughing and bragging about the arrest.
“Watch out, I’m going to baton the f*** out of you,” one officer can be heard saying on the tape.
Despite the new details in the video, an Independent initial analysis of the footage doesn’t reveal much more information about why police stopped Nichols, or the precise moment-by-moment series of events that played out between officers and the 29-year-old Black man.
Nonetheless, the shocking footage inspired widespread protests across Memphis and beyond.
Nichols died three days after his arrest. An independent autopsy released by his family shows he suffered “extensive bleeding” before his death.
On Thursday, officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith were all charged with second-degree murder.
–Independent
