The family of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man who was killed at the hands of Minneapolis police in 2020, is set to be in attendance at Tyre Nichols' funeral.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Nichols' family, told TMZ that Floyd's family members will be present for funeral services on Wednesday (February 1) at the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church.
The Floyd family previously sent their condolences to the loved ones of Nichols, who died on January 10, just three days after being brutally beaten by Memphis police officers during a traffic stop.
Four White House officials — Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement Keisha Lance Bottoms, her colleague Tara Murray, senior advisor Mitch Landrieu, and Director of African American Media Erica Loewe — are also set to attend the funeral as calls grow for Congress to pass police reform laws in the wake of Nichols' death.
During the service, Civil rights activist Al Sharpton will deliver the eulogy as he did for Floyd, whose death sparked nationwide protests against police brutality in the summer of 2020.
The Memphis police department said in its initial statement that Nichols was pulled over on January 7 for alleged reckless driving, and a "confrontation" followed after he "fled the scene on foot."
Nichols complained of having shortness of breath and was transported to St. Francis Hospital where he died three days after the stop.
The Shelby County medical examiner’s office hasn't released Nichols' official cause of death. However, preliminary results of an autopsy report sought out by the family's attorneys suggested he “suffered extensive bleeding caused by a severe beating."
Police footage released to the public on Friday (January 27) shows officers pepper spraying, punching, and kicking Nichols in the face during the stop.
Five officers — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith — were fired earlier this month in connection to Nichols' death and charged last week with second-degree murder aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of official misconduct, and official oppression.
A sixth officer, Preston Hemphill, was "relieved of duty" on Monday for his involvement in the traffic stop where police fatally beat Nichols, along with a seventh officer, who remains unnamed.
Nichols' funeral is set to begin at 10:30 a.m. local time and will be available for the public to watch via live stream.
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