Tyre Nichols, A Tiring Reminder of the Need to Reform the Culture of Policing in America

On January 7th, Tyre Nichols was pulled over by Memphis police, pulled from his vehicle, beaten, tased, chased, beaten again, and three days later he died from his injuries. Five of the officers involved were fired and indicted as a result of their involvement in Nichols' death and over the last week, there has been a range of emotions about the incident, especially after the videos of it were released to the public this past Friday. While there are many questions that have yet to be answered, and a number of rumors and conspiracy theories floating around about the incident, the fact remains that another young black man lost his life at the hands of the police. In this piece, I want to reflect on the killing of Tyre Nichols.

The Force Used Against Nichols Appears Unjustified

While there have been numerous rumors, there have not been reasons that make any sense, why Nichols was stopped or beaten. The police report appears to be completely contradictory to the video camera footage. The Memphis Chief stated that there was "no proof" of reckless driving, as was noted in the police report. The video also didn't show Nichols reaching for an officer's gun as noted in the report.

Even if Nichols was belligerent, his slight build made it difficult to claim he was a threat that required the physical force of several officers. Despite being 6'3", Nichols only weighed 145 pounds. The last time I weight 145 pounds, I was in the 8th grade. This would have made him incredibly light and likely easy to manhandle by one officer, let alone several.

Black Officer Dynamics

One of the things that have been interesting to observe is the dynamics around the fact that all 5 of the officers indicted in relation to the incident are black. Even though there have been numerous instances of police brutality cases, justice seems to come swiftest when the officer involved is black. This was noticed in this case by some as well. This point became even more clear when it was revealed that a 6th officer involved in the incident, who was not indicted or even suspended until later than the original 5 black officers, was white.

Many, Myself Included, Are Beyond Exhausted from Bearing Witness to Tragedies Like These

While I can't speak for anyone else, I know that I personally am exhausted from seeing incidents like this one play out in the news. I have a level of fatigue from hearing countless cases of black men being killed by police officers, who all of our tax dollars, including those of the victims, go towards. Even though I'm glad that the police officers released the video for transparency reasons, I have not watched it and have no desire to do so. Witnessing a man get beat, pepper-sprayed, tased, and beaten again to the point where he cries out for his mother is not anything I have the desire to witness personally. I didn't watch George Floyd's video for the same reason. I don't knock anyone else that decides to watch the video, it's just nothing that I have any desire to do for myself. I know as a black man that I could very well find myself in a similar situation, I don't necessarily need to watch every incident to be reminded of it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, I hate that we as a nation have to bear witness to yet another senseless killing at the hands of those who have been sworn to protect and serve. While I'm glad that it appears that most of the officers involved are being held accountable, a question looms if it is because they are black. Even though I have no plans on watching the video, I'm glad the police released it for transparency sake.