Tire Nichols’ stepfather has filed criminal charges against the paramedics who appeared to be on hand after he was brutally beaten by police, while two MPs who responded to the altercation also face investigations.
Video of the Jan. 7 incident in Memphis, released Friday, shows at least 10 police officers and two paramedics casually walking around for nearly 20 minutes while Nichols lies on the ground with life-threatening injuries. He died in hospital three days later.
“Everyone — the fire department, the paramedics that came out, that stood around doing nothing — they’re just as guilty,” Nichols’ stepfather, Rodney Wells, told ABC News after the video was released.
“Anyone who was active in the whole scene, the whole video, should be charged,” he added. Five Memphis police officers have already been charged with second-degree murder.
Meanwhile, the Shelby County Sheriff, which includes Memphis, said after viewing the video he was suspending two deputies who responded to the scene after the beating, which began with a traffic stop.
Tyre Nichols’ stepfather Rodney Wells (above) has called for criminal charges against the paramedics who appeared not to provide assistance after he was brutally beaten by police
Two paramedics stand over Nichols as he collapsed onto the sidewalk, unable to speak or right himself, following the police beating on January 7, which began with a traffic stop
Medical assistance schedule for Nichols
8:36 p.m.: The police beatings end and Nichols is in handcuffs.
8:41 p.m.: Paramedics arrive at the scene.
8:47 p.m.: The paramedic asks Nichols what medication he was taking. Nichols is unable to speak and gurgles in response.
They stand by for another 10 minutes as he twitches on the sidewalk.
8:57 p.m.: Paramedics begin to provide some sort of assistance and appear to bandage Nichols.
9 p.m.: An ambulance arrives to transport Nichols
Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. said in a statement, “Having first seen the videotape tonight, I have concerns about two deputies who arrived at the scene following the physical confrontation between police and Tire Nichols.”
Bonner said he had launched an internal investigation into the two MPs, adding that they had been relieved of duty pending the outcome of the investigation.
The video raises troubling questions about first responders’ apparent inaction to treat Nichols after he was kicked and punched in the head, hit three times with a metal baton and sprayed twice in the face with pepper spray.
Paramedics arrived at the scene about five minutes after the attack on Nichols ended. At this point, he was handcuffed and pinned against the side of a car.
The video shows a paramedic leaning over Nichols and asking, “What’s the matter? We’re trying to get you straight, what do you have?’
Nichols makes a gurgling noise but appears unable to speak, although he was heard speaking clearly and relatively calmly prior to the attack.
Officers at the scene were overheard commenting that Nichols was “on to something” and “high as a kite” when joking after the attack.
Police may have told paramedics that Nichols was drugged, although no evidence of this has surfaced in the weeks following the attack.
Paramedics arrive at the scene about five minutes after the beating, but do not appear to help Nichols immediately after cops claimed he was on drugs
A paramedic leans over Nichols and asks, “What’s the matter? We’re trying to get you straight, what do you have?’ Unable to react, he makes a gurgling noise
Police and paramedics stand by while Nichols lies sprawled on the sidewalk, handcuffed
Aside from these drug inquiries, paramedics appeared to be of little help as Nichols lay sprawled on the sidewalk, motionless, unable to sit up on his own and unable to speak.
The video doesn’t appear to show the paramedics checking vital signs like blood pressure, and when they left Nichols lying on the sidewalk, his head hit the car’s hubcap at least once.
Finally, about 20 minutes after the attack ended and about 15 minutes after they first arrived at the scene, the paramedics can be seen removing some type of equipment from their kits and bending over Nichols to treat him.
About five later, an ambulance pulled up and removed a stretcher to transport Nichols.
Nichols died in intensive care on January 10 after suffering cardiac arrest and kidney failure as a result of his injuries.
Sworn police officers are on duty alongside the paramedics to provide assistance, and the five officers charged in the incident have been fired by the Memphis Police Department for failing to do so.
Finally, about 20 minutes after the attack ended and about 15 minutes after they first arrived at the scene, the paramedics can be seen removing some type of equipment from their kits and bending over Nichols to treat him
Finally, at 9 p.m., an ambulance pulled up and removed a stretcher to transport Nichols
Tire Nichols is pictured in hospital after the incident. The 29-year-old from Memphis died of cardiac arrest and kidney failure on Jan. 10, three days after he was pulled over by police for reckless driving in unmarked cars
The five police officers who were fired and charged are Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith.
They are charged with second-degree murder, assault, aggravated kidnapping, misconduct and suppression of office.
Memphis Police Commissioner Cerelyn ‘CJ’ Davis said other officers are being investigated for their involvement in the arrest.
Davis described the five officers’ actions as “disgusting, inconsiderate and inhumane”.
Video released Friday night shows Nichols, 29, screaming for his mother multiple times during the brutal Jan. 7 attack, which took place just blocks from his home.
‘Mummy! Mummy!’ shouts Nichols as he is pinned to the ground by several officers, pepper sprayed in the face, kicked and punched in the head, and beaten with a metal club.
Video shows police raining down at least nine punches on the FedEx employee while shouting obscenities during the nearly four-minute altercation.
In the videos, officials make claims about Nichols that are not supported by the footage or what the prosecutor or other officials said about the case.
Charged with second degree murder are (top left to right) Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III and (bottom left to right) Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith
In one of the videos, an officer claims Nichols wrestled for his gun at the first traffic stop before fleeing. The video does not show such an incident.
After Nichols leaned against a police car in handcuffs, several officers claimed he must have been high.
Later, one officer says no drugs were found in his car, and another immediately counters that Nichols must have thrown something away while trying to escape.
The footage was widely condemned by police departments and unions across the country.
The national president of the Fraternal Order of Police issued a scathing statement in response to video of police beating Nichols.
Patrick Yoes said officers’ physical confrontation with Nichols “does not constitute legitimate police work or a traffic stop gone awry.”
Instead, Yoes called it a “criminal attack under the guise of the law.”