Five key questions that remain unanswered from shocking videos of Tyre Nichols’ arrest
The harrowing footage of Tyre Nicols’ arrest has led to some unanswered questions after he was beaten by police.
Mr Nichols, 29, was on his way home from taking pictures of the sunset at a local park when he was pulled over by police officers in Memphis, Tennessee, US on January 7.
He was pulled over on suspicion of reckless driving but in newly footage released on Friday there was no evidence to back the claim up, according to authorities.
Mr Nichols’ was savagely attacked by officers who left him propped up against a car for 20 minutes without being given any first aid.
In the shocking footage the 29-year-old can be heard calling for his mum as the officers repeatedly punch, kick and hit him with a baton.
He tragically died three days later with police facing multiple questions over their actions.
Why did police pull Tyre over?
Mr Nichols’ family said he was on his way home from taking pictures of the sunset at a local park when he was pulled over by police officers in Memphis, Tennessee, US.
Police originally said the 29-year-old was pulled over on suspicion of reckless driving but in footage released on Friday there was no evidence to back up that claim, according to authorities.
Newly released footage shows police confronting Mr Nichols at an intersection at about 8.24pm, but the initial traffic stop was not filmed.
Mr Nichols says “I didn’t do anything!” as he complies with the officers’ instructions to get to the ground.
Five Memphis Police Department officers are then filmed using a stun gun, a baton and their fists as they pummelled Mr Nichols during a nighttime arrest on January 7.
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An officer shouts: “Put your hands behind your back before I break your [expletive].”
“You guys are really doing a lot right now,” Mr Nichols says to the cops. “I’m just trying to go home.”
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An officer is heard claiming Mr Nichols “may be on something” – a reference to drugs – but there was no evidence of this, nor was there any drugs in his car.
Memphis Police Director Cerelyn “CJ” Davis has not said if an officer, who was involved in the initial traffic and could be heard saying, “I hope they stomp his ass” as Nichols ran away, has been disciplined.
Why have the medics been suspended?
Two medics arrived at the scene to see Mr Nichols’ slumped up against a car after he was left unable to stand up following the horrific attack.
He was left propped up against a car for 20 minutes without being given any first aid.
However, the video shows the medics leisurely treating the victim without any urgency as it took 20 minutes for the ambulance to arrive.
The fire department, which employs the medics, has suspended the employees and launched an investigation as Mr Nichols’ stepfather Rodney Wells called for criminal charges against the workers.
He said: “They’re just as guilty.”
It is not known how long it took before Mr Nicolas was taken to hospital.
Tyre was compliant with officers, so why were they hostile?
Mr Nichols was left confused after he was met by hostile police officers who swore at him.
He complied with the officers’ demands to get to the floor as they tried to handcuff him.
But when an officer tried to tase him, the victim tries to run free, at which point, he is peppered sprayed by an officer.
It is unclear why the officers were so aggressive to him when he was pulled over by police.
Police officers continued to hit Tyre, why?
The aggression shown by police in the video is evident throughout the video as he was aggressively thrown to the floor, handcuffed, and then pepper sprayed.
But after Mr Nichols’ washes his eyes out with water, an officer is heard saying they should “stomp” him when they catch him.
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Just minutes later, Mr Nichols was kicked and punched in the head as the victim shouted out for his mum.
An officer then takes a break from the horrific beating and comes back with a baton and repeatedly strikes him.
The other officers stood watching and didn’t even attempt to intervene as Mr Nichols was hit in the head five times by an officer.
His family are demanding to know why the officers didn’t help him.
Tyre died in hospital three days later, what killed him?
After being admitted to hospital with extensive injuries, Mr Nichols’ died in hospital just three days later following the horrendous attack.
The arrest footage shows officers punching, kicking and beating Mr Nichols’ in the head as he can be seen with blood coming down from his face.
An independent autopsy, commissioned by his family’s lawyers, has revealed he suffered “extensive bleeding caused by a severe beating.”
But with the report still to be made public, it remains unclear what caused Mr Nichols’ death.