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Tire Nichols’ stepfather has called for criminal charges to be brought against the paramedics who appeared to be waiting after he was savagely beaten by police, while two officers who responded after the altercation also face an investigation.
Released Friday, video of the January 7 incident in Memphis shows at least 10 police officers and two paramedics casually circling for nearly 20 minutes as Nichols lies on the ground badly injured. He died in the hospital three days later.
“Everyone, the fire department, the paramedics who came out and did nothing, are just as guilty,” said Nichols’ stepfather, Rodney Wells. ABC News after the release of the video.
“Everyone who was active in the entire scene, the entire video, should be charged,” he added. Five Memphis police officers have already been charged with second-degree murder.
Meanwhile, the Shelby County sheriff, which includes Memphis, said after viewing the video, he will suspend two deputies who responded to the scene after the beating, which began with a traffic stop.
Tire Nichols’ stepfather, Rodney Wells (above), has sought criminal charges against paramedics who apparently failed to render assistance after he was savagely beaten by police.
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Two paramedics are seen standing over Nichols as he slumps on the pavement, unable to speak or sit up, following a January 7 beating by police that began with a traffic stop.
Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. said in a statement: “Having viewed the videotape for the first time tonight, I am concerned about two officers who arrived on the scene following a physical confrontation between police and Tire Nichols.”
Bonner said he had launched an internal investigation into the two officers, adding that they had been relieved of their duties pending the outcome of the investigation.
The video raises disturbing questions about the apparent inaction of first responders to treat Nichols after he was kicked and punched in the head, struck three times with a metal baton and pepper sprayed twice in the face.
Paramedics arrived on the scene about five minutes after the assault on Nichols concluded, at which point he was handcuffed and slumped against the side of a car.
The video shows a paramedic leaning over Nichols asking: ‘What did you have? We’re trying to clear you up, what did you have?
Nichols is heard gurgling, but appears unable to speak, although he had been heard speaking clearly and relatively calmly before the assault.
Officers on the scene were heard commenting that Nichols was ‘on to something’ and ‘mad as a kite’ as they joked after the assault.
Cops may have warned paramedics that Nichols was high, though no evidence emerged that he was in the weeks after the assault.
Paramedics arrive on the scene about five minutes after the beating, but do not appear to provide immediate assistance to Nichols, after police say he was drugged.
A paramedic is seen leaning over Nichols asking: ‘What did you take? We’re trying to clear you up, what did you have? He can’t answer and makes a gurgling noise.
Police and paramedics wait while Nichols is handcuffed on the pavement.
Other than these drug inquiries, paramedics appeared to offer little help as Nichols lay unconscious on the pavement, unable to sit up on his own and unable to speak.
The video does not appear to show paramedics checking vital signs such as blood pressure, and as Nichols was left lying on the pavement, his head hit the car’s hubcap at least once.
Finally, about 20 minutes after the assault concluded, and about 15 minutes after they first arrived on the scene, paramedics can be seen removing some form of equipment from their kits and leaning over Nichols to treat him.
About five minutes later, an ambulance pulled up and pulled out a stretcher to transport Nichols.
Nichols died in intensive care on January 10 after suffering cardiac arrest and kidney failure as a result of his injuries.
In addition to paramedics, sworn police officers have a duty to render aid, and all five officers charged in the incident have been fired from the Memphis police department for failing to do so.
Finally, about 20 minutes after the assault concluded, and about 15 minutes after they first arrived on the scene, paramedics can be seen removing some form of equipment from their kits and leaning over Nichols to treat him.
Finally, at 9 p.m., an ambulance pulled up and removed a stretcher to transport Nichols.
Tire Nichols is shown at the hospital after the incident.
The 29-year-old from Memphis died on January 10 of cardiac arrest and kidney failure, three days after police pulled him over for reckless driving in cars without identification.
The five police officers who were fired and charged are Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr, and Justin Smith.
They are charged with second degree murder, assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.
Memphis Police Director Cerelyn ‘CJ’ Davis said other officers are under investigation for their role in the arrest.
Davis described the actions of the five officers as “egregious, reckless and inhumane.”
Video posted Friday night shows Nichols, 29, crying to her mother multiple times during the brutal assault on Jan. 7, which took place just blocks from her home.
‘Breast! Breast!’ Nichols yells as officers pin him to the ground, pepper spray his face, kick and punch him in the head, and beat him with a metal baton.
Video shows police threw at least nine punches at the FedEx worker as he yelled profanity during the nearly four-minute altercation.
Throughout the videos, agents make claims about Nichols that are not supported by the footage, or by what the district attorney or other officials have said about the case.
Indicted for second degree murder are (top, left to right) Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, and (bottom, left to right) Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith
In one of the videos, an officer claims that during the initial traffic stop, Nichols struggled for his gun before fleeing. The video shows no such incident.
After Nichols is handcuffed and leaning against a police car, several officers claimed that he must have been high.
Later, an officer says that no drugs were found in his car, and another officer immediately counters that Nichols must have dropped something while fleeing.
The images have been widely condemned by police departments and unions across the country.
The national president of the Fraternal Order of Police issued a scathing statement in response to video of police officers beating Nichols.
Patrick Yoes said the officers’ physical confrontation with Nichols “does not constitute legitimate police work or a traffic stop gone wrong.”
Instead, Yoes called it a “criminal attack under the guise of the law.”