AFP
NOS News•
Memphis police have dismantled the special unit where the five officers who are being prosecuted for the death of a black man worked. Tasked with reducing crime in certain areas of the city, the unit has come under fire since the fatal assault of 29-year-old Tire Nichols earlier this month.
The activities of the division called Scorpion and which employs about 50 officers will be stopped immediately, the police have announced. “As the appalling actions of some members have cast Scorpion in a bad light, it is imperative that we as the Memphis Police Department act proactively,” the statement said.
Video footage
Tire Nichols was apprehended on January 7. According to the police for reckless driving. Memphis police on Friday released video footage of the assault that followed the arrest. The images come from both a bodycam and a still remote camera. You can see and hear how Nichols is violently removed from his car by officers, who are themselves black, and then beaten and kicked.
In the video, Nichols can also be heard saying several times that he did nothing. “I just want to go home,” can be heard. He also calls for his mother. Eventually, the officers drag Nichols into a police car. A few days later he dies in a hospital.
Here you can see a summary of the more than 20 minutes of footage released by the police:
Released police footage of fatal assault
The five officers involved were fired last week and arrested after an initial investigation. The five are free after posting bail.
The violence sparked angry reactions in the US. People took to the streets in several cities, including Memphis and New York. The protests were peaceful. President Joe Biden said he was “outraged and saddened” after seeing the footage.
