MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Two weeks after their son died at the hands of five Memphis Police officers, the family of Tyre Nichols and members of the Memphis community remembered him with a candlelight vigil at a Memphis skatepark.
The vigil was held at Tobey Skatepark in Memphis at 7 p.m. on Thursday with community activists speaking out about injustices in Memphis and across the country. One woman, named Amber, a local activist, said she's tired of dealing with these issues, followed by the crowd erupting in agreement.
"Over and over and over again - people are literally violently murdered in the city of Memphis and the city answers back by adding more police officers, by adding more task forces - not this time," Amber said.
Nichols died three days after a traffic stop by five Memphis Police officers on Jan. 7.
All five former Memphis Police officers who were fired following Nichols' death have been indicted on charges and booked into the Shelby County Jail Thursday.
Amber continued: "We want clear answers of every person that was on the scene that violently killed Tyre." Everyone who had a hand, we need every name released. Don't just quietly fire firefighters, don't just quietly fire paramedics, EMT's - release their names"
The officers were fired Friday, Jan. 20, after MPD said they were found to be "directly responsible for the physical abuse of Mr. Nichols.” They were identified as Demetrius Haley, Tadarrius Bean, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills, Jr. and Justin Smith.
"I noticed that CJ Davis put in a cute little article about how they're gonna investigate the Scorpion Unit. we not investigating nothing - we're disbanding it," Amber said.
Tyre Nichols' mother, RowVaughn Wells, asked all protests to remain peaceful during the vigil. Wells said if people are out on the streets protesting for her son and for her then they should be doing so peacefully.
Wells also mentioned she has not seen the full video, as was briefly mentioned in the press conference following the family and attorney's viewing of the video on Monday. She continued to say that although she hasn't seen it in it's entirety, she said she knows it's horrific and doesn't want anyone to show their children the video or let them see it in any capacity.
Others at the vigil said if the beating is as bad as it's current viewers have made it out to be, they also don't want to see it.
Haley, Smith, Bean, Mills, and Martin are each charged with second degree murder, aggravated assault – acting in concert, aggravated kidnapping causing bodily injury, aggravated kidnapping while possessing a weapon, official misconduct thru unauthorized exercising of official power, official misconduct thru failure to perform a duty imposed by law, and official oppression.
Memphis community leaders, state legislators and even the President of the United States weighed in on Nichols' death Thursday after the charges were announced.
President Biden said he's joining Tyre's family in calling for peaceful protests in wake of Tyre's death.
Attorney Ben Crump said Thursday the tragedy "absolutely" meets the definition of a needless and unnecessary death.