Joining POTUS in condemning the brutal violence by police are Vice President Kamala Harris, Nancy Pelosi, Martin Luther King Jr.'s children, actress Lynda Carter and rapper Moneybagg Yo among others.
- Jan 28, 2023
AceShowbiz - President Joe Biden joins those who mourn the death of Tyre Nichols. Breaking his silence after footage of the police beat down that led to the 29-year-old's death was released, POTUS has condemned the brutal violence performed by officers in the video.
"My heart goes out to Tyre Nichols’ family and to Americans in Memphis and across the country who are grieving this tremendously painful loss," Biden tweeted on Friday, January 27. "There are no words to describe the heartbreak and grief of losing a beloved child and young father."
In his lengthy statement, the president admitted he "was outraged and deeply pained to see the horrific video of the beating that resulted in Tyre Nichols' death." He continued, "It is yet another painful reminder of the profound fear and trauma, the pain, and the exhaustion that Black and Brown Americans experience every single day."
"The footage that was released this evening will leave people justifiably outraged. Those who seek justice should not to resort to violence or destruction," he added, before declaring, "Violence is never acceptable; it is illegal and destructive. I join Mr. Nichols' family in calling for peaceful protest."
Joining Biden in calling for a stop to police brutality, Vice President Kamala Harris released her own statement which read, "Tyre Nichols should have made it home to his family. Yet, once again, America mourns the life of a son and father brutally cut short at the hands of those sworn to protect and serve. The footage and images released tonight will forever be seared in our memories, and they open wounds that will never fully heal."
"The persistent issue of police misconduct and use of excessive force in America must end now," she pleaded. "I join President Biden in his call for accountability and transparency. We must build trust-not fear-within our communities."
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi tweeted, "My heart goes out to Tyre Nichols’ mother and their entire family. Tyre should be alive today. Justice must be done." She further implored, "We must reform policing. The House must, again, pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act - and this time, the Senate must advance it to the President."
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also weighed in on the issue, "The effort to separate the officers who murdered Tyre Nichols from the system of policing that produced them is palpable. Police killings in the US reached a record high in 2022. That has only been rewarded with more funding at the expense of schools, hospitals, housing, & more."
Martin Luther King Jr.'s son Martin Luther King III reacted as saying, "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."
His sister Bernice King, who is a lawyer, chimed in, "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."
Actress Lynda Carter reacted to Bernice's statement, "What happened to #TyreNichols is an epidemic. We don't just need justice for one case, but the moral courage to change the system."
Social media personalities Brian Krassenstein and Ed Krassenstein echoed the sentiment, "This Tyre Nichols video should truly disgust every American. The vast majority of police are good people but Police brutality is a massive problem in this nation. Violence won't fix this but we need Justice for Tyre from the Memphis Police."
The duo further reminded people to protest in peace. "As people gather to protest this evening, remember this. Tyre Nichols would not want to be remembered by violence, destruction or riots," they added in a separate tweet.
Moneybagg Yo took to his Instagram page to show his support for Nichols' family. The rapper posted, "Praying for the family of Tyre Nichols, also praying for our city #JusticeForTyre."
Nichols was tased, pepper sprayed and beaten by five Memphis Police Department officers during a traffic stop on January 7. He was hospitalized in a critical condition and died three days later. The five officers, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith, who are all African-American, were fired from the police department, and two Memphis firefighters who responded to the scene were relieved of duty and ultimately fired.
On Friday, body-cam footage of the incident was released to the public. In the disturbing video, he told the cops that he was just trying to get home and repeatedly called for his mother while being beaten.
