Tyree Nichols’ mother says she is devastated that her son was brutally beaten to death by five black police officers on his way home in Memphis on January 10.
Nichols’ mother, Rowvan Wells, said the officers had humiliated their families and communities.
“I hate the fact that five black men did this to another black man,” Wells told MSNBC. “My son is probably his age.”
A 29-year-old youth was near his mother’s house when he was beating her and called her.
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“They just disgraced themselves,” she continued. “I am not an evil person, my son is not an evil person … I pray for (the officers’) families because their families deserve nothing.”
Nichols was a photographer and skateboarder and had been taking photos of the Memphis skyline shortly before the incident.
This is Tyre Nichols.
Last night, at a vigil in his honor, his mother smiled as she saw skateboarders using the same park her son once did.
Tire leaves behind a 4-year-old son. pic.twitter.com/V7WA2hlXeb
— Dakarai Turner (@Dakarai_Turner) January 28, 2023
“I believe in my heart that my son was placed by God,” Wells said. “He finished his assignment and God sent him back home.”
Wells has called for any protests in his son’s name to be peaceful.
All five former officers — Tadarius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith — have already been arrested and charged with second-degree murder, among other charges.
“This should never happen,” Trump told The Associated Press in South Carolina on Saturday.
“I thought it was horrible. He was in such trouble. He was just hitting. Now that should never happen,” Trump said.
Trump told the outlet that Nichols screaming for her mother was “the saddest moment.”
Even Joe Biden has condemned the shooting but brought up race in it — even though all the officers were black.
“Like many, I was outraged and deeply hurt by the horrific video of the beating that killed Tyree Nichols,” Biden said in a statement after the videos were released to the public. “This is another painful reminder of the deep fear and trauma, pain and exhaustion that black and brown Americans experience every day.”
“My heart goes out to the family of Tyre Nichols and to Americans in Memphis and across the country grieving this extremely painful loss,” Biden said. “People are justifiably outraged by the footage released this evening. Those seeking justice must not resort to violence or destruction. Violence is never acceptable; it is illegal and destructive. I join Mr. Nicholls’ family in calling for peaceful protests.
