Today, hundreds of mourners are expected to gather in Memphis to grieve the loss of Tyre Nichols and pay their respects to his family.
Rev. Al Sharpton is set to deliver the eulogy and attorney Ben Crump will make a “call to action.” Vice President Kamala Harris is among those scheduled to attend, alongside Breonna Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, and George Floyd’s brother, Philonise Floyd.
On Jan. 7, body camera videos showed officers pulling 29-year-old Nichols over on suspicion of reckless driving. They then pulled Nichols from his car to arrest him, but he tried to flee. Officers pursued him, used a stun gun to subdue him, and repeatedly pepper sprayed him before brutally beating him. Nichols died three days later on Jan. 10.
The death of Nichols has made headlines across the country and sparked a wave of protests and calls for justice.
Five officers have been charged with Nichols’ murder, two other officers are facing discipline, and two EMTs and a lieutenant from the fire department were fired. The specialized unit of the Memphis Police Department that was involved in the incident has also been disbanded.
Funeral services at the Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis are scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. Central Time. Organizers said the funeral will be livestreamed via Facebook and YouTube.
