Tyre Nichols.Photo: Adrian Sainz/AP/Shutterstock
Content warning: This article contains disturbing descriptions of violence.
The city of Memphis posted four videos on theirVimeo site. The videos appear to show police savagely beating Nichols for approximately three minutes. As Nichols collapses to the ground, he is punched several times in the head.
Officers used a Taser and pepper spray, as well. After the melee, officers can be seen milling around while Nichols is slumped against a car.
Nichols was transported to a hospital in critical condition and died three days later.
During a press conference earlier Friday, family attorney Benjamin Crump said Nichols cried out for his mother with his final words.
“He calls out three times for his mother, his last words on this earth are ‘Mom, Mom, Mom,’ he’s screaming for her,” said Crump. “He said, ‘I just wanna go home.’ "
Tyre Nichols.Jordan James/AP/Shutterstock
At Friday’s press conference, his mother RowVaughn Wells remembered her son as a “beautiful soul.”
“My son was a beautiful soul. He was a good boy. No one’s perfect,” she said, “but he was damn near.”
In anticipation of demonstrations in response to the footage, RowVaughn and Nichols' stepfather Rodney Wells are both urging protesters to be peaceful.
“We want peace,” Rodney said. “We do not want any type of uproar. We want peaceful protests.”
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source: people.com
