Reaction to the firing of Memphis police officers involved in Tyre Nichols' traffic stop

Brett Barrouquere, Memphis Commercial Appeal
·2 min read
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Tyre Deandre Nichols, 29, sits by a fire. Nichols died Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, three days after a confrontation with Memphis Police officers during a traffic stop. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is looking into the death.

The death of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols after a traffic stop by Memphis Police has resulted in five officers being fired and investigations by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the FBI.

Family and friends of Nichols, attorneys and politicians all reacted to the city's decision to dismiss the officers. Here are some of the reactions:

Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, the attorneys for the Nichols' family: "They must also be held accountable for robbing this man of his life and his son of a father. In the coming days, we will review the video footage from this violent attack…providing the family and community more clarity into what led to the loss of this young man, father, and son."

Keyana Dixon, Nichols' older sister: "To see their faces makes me angry. I'm trying to hold it together, but my heart has been ripped open. This is torture."

Memphis Police Association, the union representing the officers: “Due to the ongoing criminal investigation, the Memphis Police Association will not comment on the termination of officers in the Tyre Nichols case.”

State Sen. Ramesh Akbari: “It’s no secret Memphis police officers have a difficult job to do, but there is NO excuse for police brutality against our citizens ... Folks, we have work to do to bridge divides and heal the wounds in our community. It’s the hard work that must be done."

Jamal Dupree, Nichols' older brother, and Angelina Paxton, a longtime friend of Nichols: "Knowing the history of police interactions with the Black community throughout time, these men took a position of power and instead of doing something to better the future and honor the past, they became no better than the days of Emmett Till. They have let us all down. Justice will be served to them."

Memphis-Shelby County Schools board member Michelle McKissack, a prospective Memphis mayoral candidate: "We cannot talk about crime making our communities less safe without acknowledging what role police brutality plays in making our communities less safe as well."

Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn "C.J." Davis: "The egregious nature of this incident is not a reflection of the good work our officers perform, with integrity, every day."

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Reaction to police officer firings in Tyre Nichols investigation