DOJ and FBI Launch Civil Rights Inquiry Following Death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis, Tennessee, is the site of a new civil rights inquiry following the death of a young Black man, Tyre Nichols, in police custody. Nichols, 29, was stopped by police on January 7th and taken to a hospital in critical condition. Three days later, he died.

The family of Nichols is outraged and demanding answers, starting with the release of body camera footage that may help explain what happened. They have also revealed a shocking photograph of Nichols in a hospital bed following his arrest but before his death.

In response to the incident, the Department of Justice and FBI have launched a civil rights inquiry. The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Tennessee has also announced that the FBI’s Memphis field office and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice are looking into the death of Nichols.

Local activists and the family of Nichols have planned a series of protests over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend in Memphis, the same city where the civil rights leader was slain over 50 years ago. The protests are intended to draw attention to the death of Nichols and to call for justice.

The investigation into the death of Tyre Nichols is ongoing, and the family and activists are hoping for answers soon.