Friends of Tire Nichols have posted a moving video of him skateboarding as they urged the public to remember him as “his best life”.
The two-minute clip, which shows Nichols performing skateboard tricks on a bright and sunny day, went viral on social media as users paid tribute to the “beautiful” boy.
Graphic bodycam footage of the 29-year-old, who was fatally beaten to death by five police officers, was released on Friday and showed him repeatedly screaming for his mother.
But ahead of the release, friends of the avid skateboarder and father said they wanted their own video of him to overshadow the “disgusting” bodycam footage of the moments before his death.
Nichols was brutally beaten to death by five police officers in Memphis, Tennessee earlier this month
Mai Perkins wrote on Twitter: “Before the Memphis Police Dept. releases the video of 5 MPD officers murdering Tire Nichols during a routine traffic stop and this heinous video inevitably goes viral, I want to amplify THIS video of Tyre’s LIFE at its best.’
She added: “By posting this video of Tire Nichols practicing his craft, I wanted to give him in death the #DIGNITY4BlackBodies he deserved in life.
“I knew once the bodycam was released, the chances of erasing those images from our psyches would be impossible.”
Social media users agreed with the opinion.
One wrote: “This is how he should be remembered. Sweet man living his best skating life right now. My heart breaks for his mother and family.’
Another said: “Thank you for honoring the life of a life rather than giving airtime to the subhumans who thought they would get away with the heinous killing of a life.”
Footage of Tire demonstrating his skating tricks has also been released by his friends and family to remember him “practicing his craft”.
Tire was known as an avid skater who recorded himself showing off his impressive tricks
Friends and family have described Nichols as a “free spirit” and an avid skateboarder.
Longtime friend Angela Paxton told local newspaper The Commercial Appeal: “He was a person in his own right and didn’t care if he didn’t fit into what a traditional black man in California was supposed to be.
“He had such a free spirit and skating gave him wings.”
Nichols was pulled over by Memphis police on January 7 on suspicion of reckless driving.
The footage shows several unmarked police cars surrounding Nichols as officers pull him out of the driver’s seat while one yells, “Get that shit out of the damn car.”
Nichols was hospitalized and died of his injuries three days later in the city where he lived with his mother and stepfather and worked at FedEx.
All five officers involved in the murder were charged with second-degree murder, with the district attorney saying that although they played different roles, they “are all responsible.”
Nichols, 29, died three days after being rushed to the hospital this month after being brutally beaten by five Memphis police officers
Tire’s mom, RowVaughn Wells, posted a moving tribute to GoFundMe on Friday, and by Sunday the number had surpassed $1 million
The Memphis Police Department disbanded the SCORPION unit the officers belonged to on Saturday as protests swept across US cities a day after harrowing video of the attack was released.
Scorpion stands for Street Crimes Operations to Restore Peace in our Neighborhoods.
Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis disbanded the unit on Saturday.
“It is in everyone’s best interest to permanently disable the Scorpion entity,” she said in a statement.
A GoFundMe page set up for Nichols has now raised more than $1 million.
His mother wrote on the page: “My son, Tire Nichols, was pulled over on 7 January 2023 on suspicion of ‘reckless driving’. There is no evidence to support this claim.
All five police officers were fired on January 20 and arrested on January 26 and charged with the murder of Nichols and kidnapping, assault and misconduct
Nearly a thousand people gathered at Oscar Grant Plaza in Oakland, California last night to protest
“Furthermore, the police claim that my son left the scene of the crime on foot. Turns out he was just trying to get to my home — which was just a few blocks from where the incident happened — for security reasons.
“My baby was just trying to make it home to be safe in my arms. Tire was unarmed, non-threatening and respectful of the police throughout the encounter!’
The grieving mother posted a photo of Tyrus, who was lying in hospital with a bruised face after being arrested and just before succumbing to his injuries.
She added: “During my son’s interaction with the police, they beat him beyond recognition until he passed out.”
She added: “His cousin saw him in the hospital, swollen and disfigured like he was some creepy monster.”
Nichols’ mother hailed him as “gentle, kind and cheerful” and an avid skater.
She said: “He was known as someone you know, when he walks in the door he wants to hug you and he wouldn’t hurt a fly.”
“He had never been in trouble with the law, not even for a speeding ticket. He was an honest man, a wonderful son and kind to everyone. He was quirky and true to himself, and his loss will be felt across the country.