Evansville leaders react to the death of Memphis’ Tyre Nichols

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE) - Officials say 29-year-old Tyre Nichols died in the hospital following injuries he sustained during a traffic stop in Memphis, Tennessee.

The body camera footage for the officers involved has since been released.

14 News spoke with the Evansville Police Chief, along with the current and the former local chapter presidents for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or the NAACP about how they felt after seeing the footage.

“To see that group almost gang mentality happen out of a group of a group of officers that’s not going to happen here,” said Bolin.

According to the University of Illinois Chicago ‘U.S. Data on Police Shootings and Violence‘, more than 600 people are killed by law enforcement in the U.S. each year.

University statistics also say black males make up 6.1% of the total U.S. population, but 24.9% of all who are killed by law enforcement.

Chief Bolin says the Memphis police officers violent actions towards Nichols is not a reflection of them.

“I hope that the public sees that we’re not all the same,” said Bolin. “Please don’t lump everybody together”

Chief Bolin says EPD is working to ensure families and individuals know that they are here to protect and support the public.

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