‘That will never be us’: Hampton police chief condemns officers’ conduct in fatal beating of Tyre Nichols in Memphis

The Hampton chapter of the NAACP held a rally outside City Hall on Sunday afternoon to call for police reform following the release of police body cam footage showing the arrest and fatal beating of Tyre Nichols by officers in Memphis.

People across the country took to the streets calling for justice for Nichols and police reform. In Norfolk, a small group of protesters with Black Lives Matter 757 marched through downtown Saturday night, stopping to pray at a memorial for Martin Luther King Jr. and to speak about the issue on the steps of the Walter E. Hoffman United States Courthouse.

About 40 people formed a semicircle around the entrance to City Hall in Hampton, enduring bracing winds for what at times became more town hall than rally. Speakers included Police Chief Mark Talbot, U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Newport News, and young activists associated with the local NAACP.

Gaylene Kanoyton, president of the Hampton NAACP, said the gathering was a chance to highlight the importance of voting and passing legislation in the fight against police brutality. She said members want Congress to pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, echoing Nichols’ family, and wants Virginia’s General Assembly to pass other “sensible police reform” measures which would allocate funds to train officers in de-escalation tactics, as well as in diversity, equity and inclusion.

“We can come up with all the solutions in the world but everything comes down to the laws,” Kanoyton said in an interview. “That’s what it boils down to: funding police — not defunding — funding the police for training.”

The video shows Nichols, 29, a father of a 4-year-old son who worked for FedEx in Memphis and who was an avid skateboarder and photographer, being shocked with a stun gun, pepper-sprayed, kicked, punched and beaten with a baton following a traffic stop on Jan. 7., which police said was prompted by reckless driving. He died three days later. Five officers who were involved in his arrest were fired and indicted on charges including second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression, according to NPR.

Talbot said he had lost track of how many times he’d been asked to speak about a viral video of a Black man being killed by police, and said doing it again feels “futile.” The chief compared Nichols to Emmett Till, saying that while no one saw the video of what was done to him, Till’s death mobilized the country. Talbot said thousands of people should have been in attendance on Sunday.

“Each one of these viral videos seems to look the same ... somebody who is completed vulnerable isn’t protected and isn’t served,” Talbot said.

He said what happened in Memphis won’t in Hampton.

“I can promise you this, as the police chief here, that will never be us,” Talbot said. “We will stand with you. We will serve. You will not have a criminal in a police uniform in this city.”

When Scott got the microphone, several people began to express outrage at the political barriers to passing the George Floyd in Policing Act. He suggested the reason thousands didn’t attend was because they trust Talbot “to do the right thing.”

That prompted Joyce Harris of Hampton to disagree, saying if more don’t attend such events, these kinds of police killings will continue.

Scott brought Harris to the center of the circle to speak her mind.

“I don’t need you political people out here doing anything but the right thing when it comes to the people. Yes, we are a community — start treating us like a community!” Harris said. “Back in the day they boycotted, they hit them where it hurts (in their pockets) ... We don’t support one another like that and it’s time to stand up or we’re going to be out here again.”

“That’s why you don’t see people out here, because it’s becoming commonplace,” she continued.

Scott urged people to register to vote and express frustration that the Floyd Act failed in the Senate. The congressman later spoke with Harris and another man who raised similar concerns. In an interview, Scott said they were frustrated at political leadership’s failure to pass the bill, and “so am I.”

“(Republicans) show no willingness to support police reform, no willingness to support voting rights — I think their votes are predictable,” Scott said. “I think we have a lot of progress to be made if we pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act ... We have national standards and that kind of behavior (shown by the Memphis officers who arrested Nichols) would clearly not be consistent with any kind of national standards.”

Kennedy Hood, 17, the president of the Hampton Branch NAACP Youth Council, said the swift arrest and firing of five of the officers involved in Nichols’ arrest is positive, but those officers being allowed bond is a “step backwards.” Four of the five officers were released after posting bond.

“If we don’t get accountability now, this will continue,” Hood said. “It shouldn’t be a surprise when they do get charged, it should happen if you’re murdering people.”

Other Hampton Roads leaders shared their thoughts after watching the video. Virginia Beach Police Chief Paul Neudigate issued a statement saying he is “outraged, heartbroken, and disappointed,” and said the video shows “an unspeakable and needless tragedy.” He added that his disappointment stems from the specter of police brutality that has again cast doubt over policing, and said the actions of those officers doesn’t represent the entire profession.

“It is important that you hear from me that the Virginia Beach Police Department does not condone this behavior,” Neudigate said. “We are committed to providing a safe community for all residents and visitors to our beautiful city.”

Gavin Stone, 757-712-4806, gavin.stone@virginiamedia.com