Memphis Fire Department Personnel Relieved of Duty Following Death of Tyre Nichols After Encounter with Police

The family of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man who died after an encounter with police in Memphis, Tennessee, has watched body cam footage of his arrest. Attorneys representing the family said Tuesday that an independent autopsy they commissioned found that Nichols suffered “extensive bleeding caused by a severe beating.”

Two Memphis, Tennessee, fire department personnel were “relieved of duty” while an internal investigation was conducted into the death of Tyre Nichols. Memphis Fire Department spokesperson Qwanesha Ward said the employees were “involved in the initial patient care” of Nichols but did not provide further details.

Attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci said in a statement that the autopsy was performed by “a highly regarded, nationally renowned forensic pathologist.” Nichols, 29, was stopped by Memphis police on Jan. 7 for reckless driving, the department said.

The investigation into the death of Tyre Nichols is ongoing. Ward said in a statement Monday that “we cannot comment further at this time.” Nichols died on Jan. 10, three days after he was involved in a traffic stop with members of the Memphis Police Department.

The family of Tyre Nichols is seeking justice for his death. Crump and Romanucci said in a statement that they are “demanding a full and thorough investigation into the circumstances of his death and the release of all body camera footage and other evidence related to the incident.” They are also calling for the officers involved to be held accountable.