Thousands including Vice President Kamala Harris are expected to attend the funeral of Tyre Nichols. The 29-year-old lost his life after experiencing police brutality by Memphis police officers. Read to know more.
Tyre Nichols: Final farewell
Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old father, avid skateboarder, and FedEx employee fired after suffering police brutality at the hands of Memphis’ SCORPION squad. Nichols’ funeral is scheduled at 10:30 am CT on Wednesday at Memphis’ Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church. As per Rev. J. Lawrence Turner, the church’s senior pastor, about 2,500 people are expected to attend the funeral. his death sparked peaceful protests around the US and brought discussions on federal legislation to reform policing back to the surface.
The 29-year-old was beaten for three minutes on January 7. Body cam footage released by the Memphis Police Department reveals officers kicking, hitting, pepper-spraying, and punching Nichols while he was restrained. They also hit him with a baton in addition to tasing him. Nichols was hospitalized following the incident and succumbed to the injuries three days later. According to an autopsy commissioned by his family, he suffered from “extensive bleeding caused by a severe beating”. Five officers, all Black are now charged with second-degree murder in addition to other related charges. However, they are currently out on bail ranging from $250,000 to $350,000.
Who is attending the Tyre Nichols funeral?
Rev. Al Sharpton is expected to deliver a eulogy at the request of Tyre Nichols’s family. Rev. Al Sharpton is the president and founder of the National Action Network, a civil rights organization. Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to attend the funeral service on Wednesday. Relatives of George Floyd and Breinna Taylor, two others whose deaths sparked cries for the Black Lives Matter movement were also invited to the funeral.
Additionally, the city’s Fire Department fired three employees for failing to provide Nichols with medical aid after they arrived at the scene. Two other officers were relieved from duty on Monday. The Federal investigators also opened a civil rights investigation against the wrongdoers. The Memphis Police Department has now permanently disbanded SCORPION, the specialized street unit.
