District attorney: "We know the family and community are in mourning"
Following the release of the video, Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy issued a statement saying:
"The City of Memphis has now released the video documenting the tragic murder of Tyre Nichols. I know the Shelby County community, and the nation, are feeling both the outrage and the deep pain that comes with witnessing these acts of violence.
"We know the family and community are in mourning. And we recognize and understand the right to public protest, but both we and Tyre's family ask that any demonstrations in response to the video be peaceful.
"The video was released because it was important to the community and to Tyre's family, as they want the world to be their witness and feel their pain. But as we witness the tragic end of Tyre's life, I also urge you to remember Tyre Nichols as his family does: with his big smile, skateboarding, and being a loving family member.
"The release was delayed because it was important to make sure witnesses spoke first from their memory and nothing else. As D.A., I have always sought to balance out the rightful demands of the community with protecting the integrity of our investigation and prosecution.
"It's my hope that this tragedy can lead to a broader conversation on police reform. Memphis has a number of local community groups and I urge you to support them in their social justice efforts. We also commit to partnering with them and doing whatever we can with our resources to help our community heal.
"While nothing we do can bring Tyre back, we promise you that we are doing all we can to ensure that Tyre's family, and our city of Memphis, see justice for Tyre Nichols."
Biden calls for "real and lasting change"
President Biden issued a statement saying he was "outraged and deeply pained to see the horrific video," and calling on government leaders to "do everything in our power to ensure our criminal justice system lives up to the promise of fair and impartial justice. Read his full statement below.
"Like so many, I was outraged and deeply pained to see the horrific video of the beating that resulted in Tyre Nichols' death. It is yet another painful reminder of the profound fear and trauma, the pain, and the exhaustion that Black and Brown Americans experience every single day.
"My heart goes out to Tyre Nichols' family and to Americans in Memphis and across the country who are grieving this tremendously painful loss. The footage that was released this evening will leave people justifiably outraged. Those who seek justice should not to resort to violence or destruction. Violence is never acceptable; it is illegal and destructive. I join Mr. Nichols' family in calling for peaceful protest.
"I spoke with RowVaughn Wells and Rodney Wells, Mr. Nichols' mother and stepfather, this afternoon. There are no words to describe the heartbreak and grief of losing a beloved child and young father. Nothing can bring Mr. Nichols back to his family and the Memphis community. But Mr. and Mrs. Wells, Mr. Nichols' son, and his whole family deserve a swift, full, and transparent investigation.
"We must do everything in our power to ensure our criminal justice system lives up to the promise of fair and impartial justice, equal treatment, and dignity for all. Real and lasting change will only come if we take action to prevent tragedies like this from ever happening again. That is why I called on Congress to send the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act to my desk. When Senate Republicans blocked that bill, I signed an executive order that mandated stricter use of force standards and accountability provisions for federal law enforcement, as well as measures to strengthen accountability at the state and local level."
Police chiefs condemn "unconscionable, unethical" conduct
Major Cities Chiefs Association, a professional organization of police executives from across the country, issued a statement condemning the "unconscionable, unethical" actions seen on the video. They wrote:
"The death of Tyre Nichols is deeply disturbing and the video footage is painful to see.
"The actions of the five Memphis Police Department officers are unconscionable, unethical and clearly inconsistent with the training and protocols of our profession including fundamental policies related to excessive use of force, duty to render aid, and duty to intervene. Their actions were inhumane and indefensible.
"Law enforcement is and should be held to the highest standard and when an officer violates those high standards, it casts a shadow over the hundreds of thousands of police who dutifully serve and are committed to their communities. We cannot let the actions of bad cops let us lose sight of that fact. To the members who serve with honor and integrity, we see you and we support you.
"Our communities deserve the highest quality service and accountability to the public is a cornerstone of community policing. Chief CJ Davis should be commended for her decisive action to terminate the employment of the five officers involved in the death of Tyre Nichols.
"We extend our deepest condolences to the family of Tyre Nichols during this difficult time."
Officials in Memphis on Friday released police video from the violent arrest of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man whose death earlier this month has led to second-degree murder charges against five officers, who were fired over the incident. Nichols died three days after what his family and authorities described as a brutal encounter that stemmed from a traffic stop.
The four videos — posted on the city of Memphis' Vimeo account shortly before 7 p.m. EST — were taken from police body cameras and street surveillance cameras. They show officers first removing Nichols from his vehicle after pulling him over, an initial struggle when Nichols breaks loose and runs away from the officers, and then disturbing images of Nichols being restrained and beaten by five officers in an intersection.
The videos show him being kicked in the head multiple times while being restrained, Tased, pepper sprayed, and struck multiple times with a baton.
The first body camera video shows a police officer approaching a car with his gun drawn while Nichols is being forcibly pulled out and pushed to the ground by another officer. An officer threatens to break his hands if he doesn't put them down.
"Alright, I'm on the ground," Nichols says. "You guys are doing a lot, I'm just trying to go home."
The officers continue to push Nichols on the ground, when the officer wearing the body camera pulls out his Taser gun and points it at Nichols's leg. Soon after, another officer pepper sprays him, and that is when he seems to break loose and run down a street.
A second video, taken from an elevated street surveillance camera, shows officers restraining and beating Nichols in a suburban intersection.
The video, which has no sound, shows two officers holding Nichols on the ground, when a third officer approaches and kicks Nichols in the face twice. A fourth officer deploys a retractable baton and begins beating Nichols, hitting him in the back. Nichols stands up and stumbles while being held by two officers, when another one punches him in the face several times until the blows make Nichols collapse.
The third video shows bodycam footage and audio of the beating, after officers detain Nichols at the intersection. While he is being restrained on the ground, the officer wearing the camera pepper sprays Nichols repeatedly.
"Mom, mom, mom!" Nichols screams as an officer yells, "give me your hands!"
The officer wearing the bodycam steps away from Nichols, breathing heavily, seemingly affected by the pepper spray. He then approaches the officers restraining Nichols and deploys the retractable baton.
"Watch out," he warns the officers. "I'm going to baton the f*** out of you," he yells at Nichols, hitting him three times, punctuating each blow with, "Give us your hands!" The crack of the baton is audible in the video.
Authorities, members of Nichols' family and their attorneys were shown the video before Friday's release.
Nichols' mother, RowVaughn Wells, told "CBS Mornings" on Tuesday that she could not bear to watch it in full. "All I heard my son say was, 'What did I do?' I just lost it from there," she said.
"I've never seen the video, but what I've heard is very horrific, very horrific, and any of you who have children, please don't let them see it," Wells said during a press conference Friday afternoon.
Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn "CJ" Davis told NBC News on Friday the video was "horrific, alarming, disappointing, sad."
"There were times when he was laying, there were times when he was sat up, there were times when he was mumbling and saying words, but it was obvious he was not in control of his physical self," Davis added.
Family attorney Ben Crump said an independent autopsy they commissioned found Nichols suffered injuries from a severe beating.
The five officers fired over Nichols' death — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith — have been charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, official misconduct and other offenses. Lawyers for Martin and Mills said their clients will plead not guilty.
Police had said Nichols fled the officers after he was pulled over on suspicion of reckless driving — an allegation that Davis told CNN earlier on Friday investigators haven't been able to substantiate.
President Biden spoke with the mother and stepfather of Tyre Nichols on Friday afternoon, the White House said. During the call with RowVaughn Wells and Rodney Wells, Mr. Biden offered condolences from him and the first lady, and "commended the family's courage and strength," the White House said.
"She's obviously in enormous pain," Mr. Biden said of Nichols' mother. "…I told her I had some idea of what that loss was like, and that although it's impossible to believe now, but a time will come when his memory brings a smile before a tear."
In a statement following the video's release, Mr. Biden acknowledged that he had seen the "horrific" footage, and said that it left him "outraged and deeply pained," adding that the public should be "justifiably outraged."
"Those who seek justice should not to resort to violence or destruction," Mr. Biden's statement read. "Violence is never acceptable; it is illegal and destructive. I join Mr. Nichols' family in calling for peaceful protest."
Ahead of Friday's release, police officials in Memphis and other cities around the country prepared for the possibility of protests.
"When people actually see with their own eyes the kinds of things that occurred in this incident, there's an even greater potential for very serious public reaction," Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy told "CBS Mornings" co-host Gayle King on Friday morning.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.