Memphis police have fired five officers involved in the arrest of Tyre Nichols, who died three days after a traffic stop in early January.
The five officers were fired after an internal investigation determined that multiple department policies were violated, including use of excessive force, failure to intervene and failure to render aid, according to Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis.
The department identified the officers as Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith.
On January 7, Nichols, 29, was arrested after being pulled over for reckless driving, according to the police. According to the authorities, when officers approached the driver, there was a confrontation. He was taken to the hospital after complaining of shortness of breath.
Nichols died on January 10, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the state’s police force. The cause of death has not yet been determined, according to authorities. Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy requested that the agency investigate the use of force.
According to relatives, the officers who pulled over Nichols were in unmarked vehicles and beat him until he suffered cardiac arrest and kidney failure.
After the police department’s investigation is completed, video footage of the arrest will be released so the family can review it, according to the police chief and Mayor Jim Strickland.
In a statement Friday, Nichols’ family attorneys, Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci said they supported the department’s decision to fire the officers, the Associated Press reports.
“This is the first step towards achieving justice for Tyre and his family. They must also be held accountable for robbing this man of his life and his son of a father,” the statement said.
The attorneys said they “will continue to demand transparency and accountability” and plan to review video footage to seek additional clarity about the circumstances leading to Nichols’ death.