Tyre Nichols killing: Sixth Memphis officer fired after fatal beating

Memphis, Tennessee -The Memphis Police Department has fired a sixth officer involved in the death of Tyre Nichols.

The Memphis Police Department announced on Friday that a sixth officer, Preston Hemphill, has been fired for the death of Tyre Nichols.
The Memphis Police Department announced on Friday that a sixth officer, Preston Hemphill, has been fired for the death of Tyre Nichols.  © Collage: IMAGO / MediaPunch & Screenshot / Twitter / @MEM_PoliceDept

According to a statement from the department, Officer Preston Hemphill was fired following a thorough review of the incident that found he "violated multiple department policies."

Hemphill's violations included personal conduct, truthfulness, and wrongful deployment of his stun gun. He had been suspended last month but was "officially terminated" on Friday.

On January 7, Hemphill and several other officers beat and tased Tyre Nichols (29) during a routine traffic stop. Nichols died in the hospital three days after the incident.

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Body cam footage of the confrontation shows Hemphill tasing Nichols multiple times, and telling other officers several times "I hope they stomp his a**!"

The incident has sparked national outrage and protests.

Five of the officers involved - Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills, Jr., Emmitt Martin III, Justin Smith, and Tadarrius Bean - were terminated and charged with murder last week. Notably, all of them are Black, while Hemphill is white.

Attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the Nichols family, pointed out in a Twitter post that the police department took far too long to reveal Hemphill's identity or details of his role in the incident.

"Why was the white officer involved in the brutal attack of Tyre Nichols shielded and protected?" he asked, a question that many other social media users have also echoed.

The department hasn't said whether any criminal charges will also be brought against Preston Hemphill.

Cover photo: Collage: IMAGO / MediaPunch & Screenshot / Twitter / @MEM_PoliceDept

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