Today (Jan. 17), Memphis officials said they will release footage related to the confrontational traffic stop that led to motorist Tyre Nichols’ death, WREG reports. Mayor Jim Strickland and Memphis Police Department Chief CJ Davis said they will make the video public after they conclude their own examination of the incident.
“The video will be released publicly after the completion of the internal investigation into the actions of the officers and after the family of Mr. Nichols has had the opportunity to review the video privately,” they said in a joint statement.
Police took Nichols, 29, to the hospital in critical condition after they stopped him for reckless driving on Jan. 7. The victim died three days later on Jan. 10. Details about the injuries suffered or his cause of death are still unknown. The family of Nichols told multiple news outlets the officers who pulled him over were in an unmarked vehicle and that he suffered cardiac arrest and kidney failure due to police brutality. The incident sparked a use-of-force investigation from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which is underway. Shelby County District Attorney General Steve Mulroy is also reviewing the case.
According to a separate statement released on Sunday (Jan. 15), the MPD relieved the officers involved in policy violation until the investigation is over.
“After reviewing various sources of information involving this incident, I have found that it is necessary to take immediate and appropriation action,” Davis said in a statement.
Strickland added, “Make no doubt, we take departmental violations very seriously and, while we must complete the investigation process, it is our top priority to ensure that swift justice is served. We want citizens to know that we are prepared to take immediate and appropriate actions based on what the findings determine.”
The statement did not name the officers or mention how many were involved. It is also unclear what type of footage from the incident exists and what it will reveal, but Mulroy said on Tuesday morning that his team is working rapidly to get the surveillance out.
“Our office is committed to transparency and understands the reasonable request from the public to view the video footage. However, we must ensure we abide by applicable laws and ethical rules so that we do not jeopardize an ongoing investigation or prosecution. We’re working with the appropriate agencies to determine how quickly we can release the video and will do so as soon as we can,” Mulroy said.