Tyre Nichols, succumbed to his injuries after hospitalization following his arrest by Memphis’ controversial SCORPION police unit. Read to know the connection between the two.
All about SCORPION, the policing unit
Memphis’ SCORPION is a policing unit that stands for “Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods”. The policing unit was created in October 2021 following the rise in violent crime in the Tennesseean city. The unit focuses on stopping assaults, homicides, and robberies. Additionally, members of the team also focus on gang investigation and car theft in addition to “crime suppression”. The unit is made up of 40 officers in four teams, spread across crime hotspots in the city.
However, activists believe that the teams are focusing on certain parts of the city. These regions face additional bias and brutality. ” Between October 2021 and January 2022, SCORPION made 566 arrests out of which 390 were felony arrests,” stated Mayor Jim Stickland. While touting the unit’s effectiveness, the Mayor also talked about the officers seizing $103,000 in cash, 253 weapons, and 270 vehicles in the same period. Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy on Thursday while announcing charges against officers revealed the involvement of the SCORPION unit. One day later, the authorities released body cam footage that sparked protests. The bodycam footage reveals officers kicking, punching, and assaulting Tyre Nichols with a baton.
More on the Tyre Nichols case
Tyre Nichols was a 29-year-old black man who was hospitalized following his arrest by the policing unit. He died after suffering from severe injuries. Preliminary results of the autopsy revealed he suffered from “extensive bleeding caused by a severe beating”. As per records from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, the now former Black police officers Tadarrius Bean, Desmond Mills, Jr., Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith, and Emmitt Martin III were involved in the incident. These officers have since been sacked from the job. They are charged with aggravated assault, second-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, official oppression, and official misconduct.
Following Nichols’ death, Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis called for a review of the department’s specialized units including SCORPION. Davis is the first black woman to serve in the position in the city. As per media reports, she described the event as “heinous, reckless, and inhumane”. The family’s attorney also called on the police chief to disband “the SCORPION unit effective immediately”. He added that the unit’s intent is “corrupted,” attributing to inadequate oversight.