Tyre Nichols, beaten to death during traffic stop, has skate park in California named in his memory
As a child, Nichols, an enthusiastic skateboarder, spent a lot of time at what was once the Regency Community Skate Park in Sacramento.
A California city is keeping Tyre Nichols’ memory alive, naming a skate park to honor the Black man whose passion for the sport blossomed in the state.
According to The Guardian, the newly renovated Tyre Nichols Skate Park – formerly known as the Regency Community Skate Park – was officially opened Sunday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by Sacramento city officials and others.
As a child, Nichols, an enthusiastic skateboarder, spent a lot of time at the park, located in the North Natomas neighborhood of the capital city. He loved taking pictures, especially of sunsets and landscapes.
“Photography helps me look at the world in a more creative way,” Nichols wrote on his website showcasing his photos, The Guardian reported. “It expresses me in ways I cannot write down for people.”
Nichols, 29, had relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, shortly before the coronavirus pandemic. On Jan. 7, Memphis police stopped him as he was returning home, where he lived with his mother and stepfather, after capturing images of the sky.
Nichols’ family alleges, in a complaint filed against Memphis authorities seeking $550 million in damages, that he was brutally attacked by five police officers just a short distance from his home.
Nichols passed away in a hospital three days later. The five Memphis police officers – who are all Black – were fired and are now facing charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, official misconduct, official oppression, aggravated assault and kidnapping.
According to KCRA3 News, Nichols’ friend Jerome Neal recalled meeting Nichols at the skatepark about 13 years ago. He said when he visited Nichols in Memphis last October, it seemed as though nothing had changed.
“He linked up with me at the skatepark, and he and I just skated for half the day,” Neal said, according to KCRA. “We hung out like it was old times. Didn’t miss a beat.”
TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today!
The post Tyre Nichols, beaten to death during traffic stop, has skate park in California named in his memory appeared first on TheGrio.
