Tyre Nichols Deadly Arrest Video: Justin Timberlake, Gabrielle Union And More React To Horrific Attack
Justin Timberlake is among the slew of celebrities reacting to Tyre Nichols’ violent and deadly arrest earlier this month at the hands of five Memphis Police officers, whose horrific attack was captured on multiple police body cameras as well as street surveillance video.
The videos, released Friday night by Memphis police, show officers tasing, chasing and beating Nichols, 29, who cops initially claimed was pulled over for reckless driving. Since the video’s release, Memphis police have said there’s no proof he was driving recklessly.
For three minutes, Nichols was pummelled, punched and kicked, all the while he cried for his mother, whose house was approximately 100 yards away. It’s been reported that Nichols, an avid skateboarder and photographer, was on his way home from taking sunset photos at a park.
It took nearly 20 minutes before Nichols received medical care, and approximately 40 minutes after paramedics arrived at the scene he was finally taken to a nearby hospital, where he died three days later.
The five police officers involved — Emmitt Martin III, Justin Smith, Tadarrius Bean, Desmond Mills Jr. and Demetrius Haley — were fired by the department and charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault-acting in concert, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, 2 counts of official misconduct and official oppression.
Two other Shelby, Tennessee County Sheriff’s Deputies at the scene were also relieved of duty pending an investigation.
“I’m heartbroken and angry to see another family, another community hurting due to police brutality,” tweeted Timberlake, a native of Memphis. “I stand with my hometown and the people of Memphis as we demand justice and accountability. #JusticeforTyreNichols.”
I’m heartbroken and angry to see another family, another community hurting due to police brutality. I stand with my hometown and the people of Memphis as we demand justice and accountability. #JusticeforTyreNichols
— Justin Timberlake (@jtimberlake) January 28, 2023
Cedric the Entertainer also took to Instagram and reacted to the distressing video.
“Getting home safe is not a given anymore,” he wrote in his caption. “It used to be that our parents or elders would tell us to ‘be careful out there’ when we’d leave the house, but it was meant out of love not fear. Hold your loved ones close. Being careful, even being a good person, just isn’t enough these days. – Ced #JusticeForTyre.”
Teyana Taylor took to Instagram and posted a Nichols fact sheet. She also shared in her caption how she felt watching the bodycam footage.
“I really wish I could unsee what I’ve just seen…smh This is so heartbreaking and draining… my heart literally hurts 💔 My prayers & condolences goes to Tyre’s mother, family & all his loved ones. I’m so sorry 💔 Let’s please SAY HIS NAME #tyrenichols,” she wrote
Gabrielle Union re-posted a quote from Nichols, which can be heard in the bodycam footage.
Meanwhile, LeBron James took to Twitter and reposted a video the Nichols family requested fans retweet instead of the bodycam footage.
#TyreNichols family asked this be the video we share of him.
Watch it & know Tyre, like all our loved ones, deserved to live a long beautiful life free from state sanctioned murder. For Black & brown folks around the US, police violence is the greatest threat to that future. https://t.co/hT15Emss8T
— Tiffany Cabán (@tiffany_caban) January 27, 2023
And, in wake of the horrific video dominating Twitter’s timeline, Lizzo tweeted how users can make sure videos don’t auto play on their timeline without their consent.
Just in case you need it: settings & support > settings & privacy > accessibility display & languages > accessibility > video auto play > select “never”
So that videos on your timeline don’t automatically play without your consent
— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) January 28, 2023
Memphis Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins also reacted to Nichols’ death at a pre-game news conference.
Taylor Jenkins with a thorough and thoughtful statement about the death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis. pic.twitter.com/jDAtkoYdHb
— Damichael Cole (@DamichaelC) January 27, 2023
More from Jenkins: pic.twitter.com/YEmIRqH8RJ
— Damichael Cole (@DamichaelC) January 27, 2023
See more reactions to the Memphis Police Department’s bodycam footage below:
My heart goes out to Tyre Nichols’ family and to Americans in Memphis and across the country who are grieving this tremendously painful loss. There are no words to describe the heartbreak and grief of losing a beloved child and young father.⁰⁰Here’s my full statement. pic.twitter.com/ghROhSGtao
— President Biden (@POTUS) January 28, 2023
Ppl are asking why I don’t want to watch #TyreNichols be senselessly & savagely beaten to death. Really? I get it but I’m destroyed just hearing about it. Imagine how his parents are feeling! What I do want? Justice. Some comfort for his family. The guilty to be tried&convicted!
— Rosie Perez (@rosieperezbklyn) January 28, 2023
I’ve watched the #TyreNichols video. My heart breaks that this man’s life was viciously taken by those empowered to protect us. I support police but we CLEARLY must address the culture in policing that can lead to God complexes that allows this horror to happen SO often.
— Alyssa Farah Griffin (@Alyssafarah) January 28, 2023
Police bodycam footage is *literally* the “cop’s perspective”. https://t.co/kQ8Skz5RCr
— Jon Cryer (@MrJonCryer) January 28, 2023
#JusticeForTyre pic.twitter.com/gYY8AgCVbd
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) January 27, 2023
— NBA (@NBA) January 28, 2023
— WNBA (@WNBA) January 28, 2023
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) January 28, 2023
A moment of silence for Tyre Nichols here at Target Center in Minneapolis. pic.twitter.com/aNG3s99w7u
— Damichael Cole (@DamichaelC) January 28, 2023
I am disgusted by the grotesquely inhumane treatment of #TyreNichols.
I want elected officials, civic leaders, corporations & faith leaders to invest the same [even more] energy in preventing police brutality as they did in preparing for responses to a video of police brutality.
— Be A King (@BerniceKing) January 28, 2023
I am deeply disturbed by the video released by Memphis Police today. We all witnessed a horrific yet perversely familiar act committed by officers of the law. Everyone involved must be arrested & charged with the murder of Tyre Nichols. His family and our nation deserve justice.
— Martin Luther King III (@OfficialMLK3) January 28, 2023
Listening to Tyre Nichols cry out for his Momma before he was fatally beaten by those Cops….Man….Horrifying.
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) January 28, 2023
Tyre Nichols was honored with a moment of silence before the Grizzlies-Timberwolves matchup 🙏
🎥: @NBATVpic.twitter.com/y9l7eL5G2o
— 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 (@sportingnews) January 28, 2023
Change is needed at all levels and we all need to do our part. We can’t lose our humanity as a society.
To the Nichols’ family and Memphis community, my heart is with you tonight.
— Chris Paul (@CP3) January 28, 2023
