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Seven more Memphis cops are now under investigation in connection with the death of Tyre Nichols last month – bringing the total number up to 13.
City of Memphis Chief Legal Officer Jennifer Sink told ABC24 that a statement of charges related to those under investigation could come as soon as this week.
The widening of the investigation comes as the national outrage over Nichols’ death led five officers who were filmed beating the 29-year-old to be charged with his murder.
In total six officers have been fired in connection with the fateful traffic stop. The names of the latest set of officers to be investigated have not been released.
Following the arrest of the officers who beat Nichols’ to death, a further three Memphis Fire Department employees were also fired for policy violations, but have not been criminally charged.
Two Shelby County Sheriff’s deputies have also been relieved of their duties pending an ongoing investigation, but have also not been charged.
Tyre Nichols, 29, died on January 10, three days after he was brutally beaten by several Memphis police officers
Five Memphis police officers, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills, Emmitt Martin, Justin Smith and Tadarrius Bean, are all facing murder charges for their involvement in Nichols’ death
Preston Hemphill became the sixth Memphis police officer to be suspended over the fatal beating
The latest round of investigations into the police force comes after Memphis Fire Department fired three of their employees on January 30 for failing to assist Nichols as he lay dying during the January 7 beating.
The trio comprised of two EMTs, Robert Long and JaMichael Sandridge, and Lieutenant Michelle Whitaker.
The Memphis Fire Department said the two EMTs ‘failed to conduct an adequate patient assessment‘ and the three did not ‘meet expectations’ in their actions.
Their firing came hours after a sixth Memphis police officer, Preston Hemphill, was fired from the force for his role in the tragedy.
Hemphill was one of the officers who initially pulled Nichols over in a traffic stop, and fired his taser as Nichols ran away. Hemphill was not on the scene when Nichols was caught and beaten to death.
His death led former officers Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills, Emmitt Martin, Justin Smith and Tadarrius Bean to all be charged with murder.
After Nichols had been caught and beaten by the five officers who have been charged following the killing, Long and Sandridge arrived on the scene, while Whitaker was in a nearby vehicle.
She remained in the vehicle while Long and Sandridge got out to attend to the call.
City of Memphis Chief Legal Officer Jennifer Sink, pictured, announced on Tuesday the widening of the investigation into Nichols’ death
JaMichael Sandridge (left) and Robert Long, both EMTs with the fire department, were fired after they failed to attend to the dying Tyre Nichols
Lieutenant Michelle Williams was also fired following the incident, after she remained in the fire truck when she arrived while Sandridge and Long attended the scene
Ms Sink announced the latest set of officers to be placed under investigation during a city council meeting on Tuesday, exactly one month after Nichols was killed.
She revealed that among the seven officers who are under investigation is unidentified individual who was relieved from duty on January 30.
The statement of charges from the city is administrative, which is separate from any criminal charges which would have to be issued from the D.A.’s office or from federal authorities.
The announcement came one month after Nichols was beaten to death after police pulled him over for what they said was a traffic violation.
Video of the tragic killing was later released by the Memphis Police Department, which sparked a series of protests across America amid calls for urgent police reform.
Bodycam footage of Tyre Nichols being beaten to death sparked riots
The footage of the January 7 attack showed Nichols being punched, kicked, pepper sprayed and tased. He died three days after the beating
Police were seen in the footage fatally beating Nichols after he was pulled over for a traffic violation
The police bodycam footage of Nichols’ arrest caused widespread outrage after it was released last month, which shows the officers brutally kicking and punching the 29-year-old.
The terrifying encounter began with a traffic stop, when multiple unmarked cop cars surrounded Nichols’ vehicle and officers dragged him from the driver’s seat as one could be heard yelling, ‘Get the f*** out of the f****** car.’
After hauling the 29-year-old from his car, several cops then begin relentlessly kicking and punching him as he lies on the street.
He then frantically broke free, rushing to his feet before sprinting down the road and away from the group of officers pursuing him.
One officer then fires a taser at Nichols, but he later claims that only one prong struck him, meaning the circuit was not completed and the electric shock was not delivered.
The chase continued for roughly half a mile before Nichols is seen tackled and held down by two officers, who scream at him ‘give me your hands!’
More officers then arrive on foot while Nichols is pinned down, leading one to pepper spray him in the face.
Two officers held Nichols to the ground as he attempts to break free, then the third appears to kick him in the head.
Following this devastating blow, Nichols is seen slumped more fully onto the pavement with all three officers surrounding him. The same officer then proceeds to kick him again.
With Nichols already subdued, the officer who used the pepper spray then extends a telescoping metal baton and shouts ‘I’m gonna baton the f*** out of him!’ before striking Nichols three times in the back.
Several officers are later seen propping Nichols up on his feet while one punches his face. Nichols stumbles and turns, still held up by two officers.
The officer who punched him then walked around to Nichols’ front and punches him three more times, causing the 29-year-old to collapse.
Nichols is heard repeatedly screaming, ‘Mom! Mom!’ during the struggle, but goes silent after blows to his face.
After Nichols is handcuffed, he appeared to be unresponsive and unable to sit upright.
Immediately following the brutal attack several officers are heard cursing, wisecracking and ordering him to sit up as he slumps over onto the pavement.
Even after paramedics arrive on the scene, they do not appear to render immediate aid.
In total, Nichols lied on the pavement for more than 19 minutes as at least eight cops mill around the scene, flushing pepper spray out of their own eyes.
Then, even after paramedics arrived, Nichols had to wait for nearly half an hour slumped over the pavement for any significant medical treatment.
Eventually, he was transported to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries three days later.
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