Justice Department investigating Memphis man's arrest, death
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department has opened a civil rights investigation into the arrest of Tyre Nichols, who died days after a confrontation with Memphis Department Police Officers during a traffic stop, officials said Wednesday.
Davis and Mayor Jim Strickland said Tuesday that video footage of the arrest will be released after the police department's investigation is completed and the family can review it.
The police department’s internal investigation will be completed by the end of this week, and city leaders are arranging a meeting early next week with the family of Nichols, according to a joint statement from both Strickland and Davis.
After initially declining comment on the Justice Department's investigation, the city of Memphis sent out a statement late Wednesday afternoon saying it will fully cooperate with the federal agencies conducting the probe. Memphis' police department did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
At a memorial service for Nichols on Tuesday, family and friends remembered him as a joyful, lovable man who worked making boxes at FedEx, enjoyed skateboarding and regularly drank coffee and chatted with friends at Starbucks. Some of those in attendance wore T-shirts that read “Justice for Tyre,” and “Skate in Peace.”
Relatives said Nichols was from California and moved to Memphis about a year ago. He had two brothers and a sister, relatives said.
Nichols' stepfather, Rodney Wells, said during the service that Nichols' supporters want the officers involved in the arrest to be charged with first-degree murder.
“We're not going down without a fight,” Wells said.