Photo: Getty Images
The Department of Justice has launched a civil rights probe into the death of a 29-year-old Black man following a traffic stop in Memphis, Tennessee, per NBC News.
On Wednesday (January 18), the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Western District of Tennessee announced that the FBI's Memphis office and the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division began investigating Tyre Nichols' death.
According to police, a "confrontation" between Nichols and police officers occurred on January 7 when they attempted to stop him for reckless driving. Officers pursued Nichols on foot after he ran away.
"While attempting to take the suspect into custody, another confrontation occurred; however, the suspect was ultimately apprehended," the police department said in a statement the following day. "Afterward, the suspect complained of having a shortness of breath, at which time an ambulance was called to the scene."
Nichols was taken to the hospital in critical condition and died three days later.
Police declined to give details about the confrontation. A photo of Nichols in the hospital shows blood on his face and an apparent swollen eye.
During the protests on Monday (January 16), family members and activists demanded the release of body camera footage from the incident.
Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing Nichol's family, is also asking police to release footage from the traffic stop as "all of the available information tells us that this was the tragic and preventable death of a young man."
"Nobody should ever die from a simple traffic stop — the footage is the only way to discern the true narrative of why and how that happened to Tyre," Crump said.
Mayor Jim Strickland and Memphis Police Chief CJ Davis released a statement on Tuesday (January 17), saying the video would be released following the completion of an internal investigation, which they hope will be completed by the end of this week. Shelby Country District Attorney Steve Mulroy said his office is also working to release the body camera footage.
The officers involved have been placed on administrative leave.
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The Association of Black Psychologists 1-301-449-3082
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America 1-240-485-1001
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