Community members and community leaders gathered Monday at a vigil for Tyre Nichols, whose death after being beaten by Memphis police sparked outrage across the country. Organizers chose to host the vigil of remembrance at Regency Community Skatepark in North Natomas, a place friends said In their childhood they shared many memories with him. “We chose this skate park because that’s where everyone knows Tyre,” said close friend Angelina Paxton. “This is where our childhood memories originated.” A few hundred people of different backgrounds and faiths attended a vigil Monday, all with thoughts to share or prayers encouraged by District 1 Councilwoman Lisa Kaplan to come forward and address the crowd. “One thing about Tyre that I’m sure we can all agree with is that he had this burning desire to make everyone smile,” said friend Ryan Wilson, Tyre’s sister, Kiana Dixon, and brother, Jamal Dupree, speaking on their behalf. “I just wanted to thank you all for the continued support of our family and making sure we never forget his name,” Dixon said. and a friend – he takes comfort in knowing Tyre will be at peace with Mark in the world his life has made. “He was a good guy,” said an old friend of Dijon Hills. “He’s definitely going to heaven, and that makes him an angel. So now we have him as an angel, to admire him, he’s looking at us.” Watch the vigil in the video player below, as those decrying Nichols’ fatal beating marched through the streets in cities across the country after body cam footage was released. The video shows Nichols being repeatedly beaten with seizures, boots, and batons. Protesters took to the streets of Sacramento in solidarity with others angry at police beatings. Video below | Tyre Nichols’ mother speaks out about his death. Daniel Hahn, the former Sacramento police chief whose tenure in command of law enforcement in the city was marked by the police shooting — investigators found no wrongdoing — of Stephon Clark, spoke with KCRA 3 after the body cam footage was filmed. He was released, calling the behavior of the Memphis officers “incompetent” and “criminal” as the officers bragged about hitting Nichols, and the five former Memphis officers—Tadarius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmett Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith—were fired. Last week, he was charged with second-degree murder and related charges. On Monday, Memphis Police announced that Ofc. Preston Hemphill was relieved of duty, becoming the seventh officer disciplined in connection with Nichols’ arrest after an unnamed officer was released from duty on January 23. The role of that sixth officer in the arrest was also not specified. Memphis Police Superintendent Cereline Davis called the officers’ actions “outrageous, reckless, and inhuman” and said her department was unable to substantiate the allegations of reckless driving that prompted the stop. Three Memphis Fire Department employees were also fired in connection with Nichols’ death after the department declared all “multiple” policies and protocols to be violated. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Community members and leaders gathered Monday for a vigil for Tyre Nichols, whose death after being beaten by Memphis police has sparked nationwide outrage.
The organizers chose to host the vigil of remembrance at the Regency Community Skate Park in North Natomas, which is where the Childhood friends said they shared a lot of memories with him.
“We chose this skate park because that’s where everyone knows Tyre,” said close friend Angelina Paxton. “This is where our childhood memories originated.”
A few hundred people of various backgrounds and faiths attended the vigil Monday, all with thoughts to share or prayers District 1 Councilwoman Lisa Kaplan encouraged them to come forward and speak to the crowd.
“One thing about Tyre I’m sure we can all agree on [is] “He had this burning desire to make everyone smile,” said friend Rian Wilson.
Tyre’s sister, Keanna Dixon, and brother, Jamal Dupree, spoke on behalf of the Nichols family.
“I just wanted to thank you all for the continued support of our family and making sure we never forget his name,” Dixon said.
The group – honoring the legacy he left as a beloved family member and friend – take comfort in knowing Tyre will be at peace with the mark in the world his life has made.
“He was a good guy,” said his old friend Dijon Hills. “He’s definitely going to heaven, and that makes him an angel. So now we have him as an angel, to admire him, he’s looking at us.”
Watch the vigil in the video player below
Those criticizing the fatal beating of Nichols marched through the streets of cities across the country afterward Body camera footage has been released. The video shows Nichols being repeatedly beaten with bouts, boots, and clubs.
Days before the video was released, the Nichols’ family requested that the protests remain peaceful After watching the body cam before it was released.
| Video below | Tyre Nichols’ mother talks about his death
Daniel Hahn, the former Sacramento Police Chief, whose tenure in command of law enforcement in the city was marked by the police shooting — which investigators found no wrongdoing — of Stephon Clark, spoke to KCRA 3 after the body camera footage was released, calling the Memphis officers’ behavior “incompetent” and “A criminal,” as the officers bragged, beat up Nichols.
The five former Memphis officers — Tadarius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmett Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith — have been fired and charged with second-degree murder and other related charges. On Monday, Memphis Police announced that Ofc. Preston Hemphill was relieved of duty, He became the seventh officer to be disciplined in connection with Nichols’ arrest after resting an unnamed officer Duty on January 23rd. The role of that sixth officer in the arrest was also not specified.
Memphis Police Superintendent Serene Davis called the officers’ actions “outrageous, reckless, and inhuman” and said her department was unable to substantiate the allegations of reckless driving that prompted the stop.
Three Memphis Fire Department employees have also been fired In connection with Nichols’ death after the department declared all “multiple” policies and protocols had been violated.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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