Mum of man killed by cops says 'I loved him to death' as she reacts to footage

28 January 2023 , 10:22

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Mum of man killed by cops says 'I loved him to death' as she reacts to footage

Tyre Nichols’ mum has urged parents not to let their children watch the "horrific" video of five police beating her son to death.

The video of the brutal three-minute beating dolled out on the handcuffed 29-year-old has shocked the country and led to widespread protests in multiple cities.

It shows officers savagely beating the man for three minutes during which the victim is pepper-sprayed, hit with a stun gun, restrained and kicked.

Speaking at a press conference RowVaughn Wells said: "My son is looking down smiling, he always said he was gonna be famous one day. I never knew this is what he meant.”

Tyre Nichols, a FedEx driver and dad to a four-year-old boy, died on January 10, three days after the incident in Memphis, Tennessee, US.

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Tyre Nichols dying against a car after the brutal attack (Uncredited/AP/REX/Shutterstock)

The young father had been pulled over as he was on his way home from taking pictures of the sunset.

The officers involved have all been fired and each face charges of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.

In the footage, in which is not seen to resist, he can be heard repeatedly calling for his mum and pleading "I'm just trying to go home".

Tyre Nichols was driving back from the park where he was taking photos (Twitter)

Ms Wells said she has not been able to watch it.

Speaking at a conference before the footage's release she said the officers involved have "disgraced their own families".

She said: "I've never seen the video, but what I've heard is very horrific. Very horrific. And any of you who have children please don't let them see it."

She added: "I haven't had time to grieve yet, I'm still dealing with the death of my son. This was not supposed to happen. My son was supposed to be with me today.

Tyre Nichols in hospital after the beating (Twitter)

"I'll always be with him - I tell everyone he has a tattoo of my name on his arm - my son loved me to death and I loved him to death."

President Joe Biden urged for calm ahead of the video’s release and spoke of being "deeply pained" by the footage in a White House statement.

“Like so many, I was outraged and deeply pained to see the horrific video of the beating that resulted in Tyre Nichols’ death.

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The five former Memphis police officers charged with murder - from top row from left, officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, bottom row, from left, Desmond Mills, Jr. and Justin Smith. (Uncredited/AP/REX/Shutterstock)

"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,” he said.

Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis said the video showed acts that "defied humanity".

As officers pull Mr Nichols out of his car and shout at him to get on the ground, the man can be heard saying: "I didn't do anything!"

Tyre Nichols during a brutal attack by five police officers (Uncredited/AP/REX/Shutterstock)

As he is pushed into the ground one officer shouts: "Put your hands behind your back before I break your [expletive]."

Mr Nichols says to the officers "You guys are really doing a lot right now” and "I'm just trying to go home."

A separate video, captured by a nearby CCTV, shows the officers holding Mr Nichols down while others take turns kicking, punching and striking him with a baton.

RowVaughn Wells, mother of Tyre Nichols, listens to remarks during a press conference before the release of the footage (Getty Images)

Following the brutal attack, they prop him against a squad car and mill around talking. More than 20 minutes pass until the visibly injured man is given first aid.

Rodney Wells called on all first responders who didn’t help his stepson to be charged, telling ABC: “Everyone -- the fire department, paramedics that came out that stood around and didn't do anything -- they're just as guilty.”

People gather to protest against the police assault of Tyre Nichols at Times Square in New York following the release of the footage (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

In a conference before the video was released, Rodney Wells, Mr Nichols' stepfather, told reporters: "We did push for murder one, that was my main goal. But as the charges were told to us - and they explained the difference between murder one and murder two - we are now very satisfied with the charges."

Mr Nichols' family likened the attack to the 1991 police beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles, which later sparked the 1992 LA Riots.

Charlie Jones