5 Memphis police officers fired after traffic stop leads to hospitalization, death of Tyre Nichols - NBC News

Five Memphis constabulary officers were fired Friday aft the main said they violated section policies during a traffic halt successful Tennessee this period that ended with the hospitalization and decease of a 29-year-old man.

An administrative probe by the Memphis constabulary recovered that the officers allegedly violated aggregate policies, including usage of excessive force, work to intervene and work to render assistance successful the Jan. 7 postulation halt of Tyre Nichols, constabulary main C.J. Davis said successful a statement.

The officers were identified arsenic Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith. They were hired betwixt 2017 and 2020.

“The Memphis Police Department is committed to protecting and defending the rights of each national successful our city,” Davis said. “The egregious quality of this incidental is not a reflection of the bully enactment that our officers perform, with integrity, each day.”

Efforts to scope the officers Friday were unsuccessful. 

In an emailed statement, Memphis Police Association President Lt. Essica Cage-Rosario cited an ongoing transgression probe into Nichols’ decease and declined to remark connected the officers’ firing.

“The citizens of Memphis, and much importantly, the household of Mr. Nichols merit to cognize the implicit relationship of the events starring up to his decease and what whitethorn person contributed to it,” she said.

Tyre Nichols.Courtesy family

In a statement, lawyers for the household said the officers' firing was a archetypal measurement toward justness for Nichols and his family.

"They indispensable besides beryllium held accountable for robbing this antheral of his beingness and his lad of a father," lawyers Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci said successful a associated statement.

The connection added that they would review assemblage camera video of the postulation halt successful the coming days, "providing clarity into what led to the nonaccomplishment of this young man, father, and son. We volition proceed to request transparency and accountability successful this case, and volition not halt until we execute afloat justness for Tyre and his family.”

Authorities person said officers stopped Nichols for reckless driving connected Jan. 7. A "confrontation" followed, the section said astatine the time, and officers pursued Nichols erstwhile helium fled connected foot.

While trying to instrumentality Nichols into custody, determination was different confrontation and Nichols complained of having shortness of breath, the section said.

Nichols died 3 days later.

Authorities person not provided details astir the confrontation.

A photograph provided by his stepfather showed a hospitalized Nichols with humor connected his look and what appeared to beryllium a swollen eye.

The lawsuit is besides being reviewed by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice, which announced earlier this week that it had opened a civilian rights inquiry.