Nearly three weeks ago, Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man, was hospitalized after a traffic stop in Memphis that resulted in a violent arrest and subsequent death of a driver.
Here’s what we know about the timeline of the incident, investigations from authorities and reaction from Nichols’ family:
Jan. 7: At approximately 8:30 p.m. local time, officers pulled over a vehicle for suspected reckless driving, according to a statement from Memphis police.
“A confrontation occurred” between officers and the vehicle’s driver – later identified as Nichols – who then fled on foot, according to Memphis police. Officers apprehended him and “another confrontation occurred,” resulting in Nichols’ arrest, police said.
An ambulance was called to the scene of the arrest after Nichols complained of shortness of breath, police said, and he was transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition.
Jan. 10: The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation announced Nichols had died due to injuries sustained in the “use-of-force incident with officers,” according to a statement.
Jan. 15: The officers involved were relieved of duty – a standard departmental procedure while an investigation into their use of force began, Memphis police said. The TBI and the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office were also enlisted to investigate.
Preliminary findings indicated the serious nature of the officers’ conduct during the stop, police said.
“Today, the department is serving notice to the officers involved of the impending administrative actions,” Chief Davis said in a statement.
Jan. 18: The Department of Justice said a civil rights investigation has been opened into the death of Nichols. Kevin G. Ritz, US Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee declined to provide further details.
Jan. 20: After its internal investigation, Memphis police identified and fired five officers — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills, Jr., and Justin Smith — involved in the traffic stop due to their violation of multiple department policies.
Nichols family attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci called the firing of the five officers “the first step towards achieving justice for Tyre and his family.”
Two Memphis Fire Department employees who were part of Nichols’ “initial patient care” were also fired, department Public Information Officer Qwanesha Ward told CNN.
Jan. 23: After meeting with officials to watch the unreleased police video of the arrest, Nichols’ stepfather said: “What I saw on the video today was horrific. No father, mother should have to witness what I saw today.”
Attorney Romanucci said, “He was defenseless the entire time. He was a human piñata for those police officers. It was an unadulterated, unabashed, nonstop beating of this young boy for three minutes. That is what we saw in that video. Not only was it violent, it was savage.”
CNN’s Nick Valencia, Chris Boyette, Jamiel Lynch, Raja Razek, Eric Levenson, Dakin Andone, Theresa Waldrop, Steve Almasy, Sara Smart and Hannah Rabinowitz contributed to this report.
