After the release of the brutal video footage from Tyre Nichol’s arrest in which he was badly beaten by police officers, Tennessee county placed two deputies on leave from Shelby County Sheriff's Office in Memphis.
Just hours after the footage was released, Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. made a statement saying that he was concerned about two deputies who appeared on the scene following the physical confrontation between the officers and Nichols.
Bonner said that he saw the footage for the first time on Friday along with the public, and made the decision to launch an investigation against the deputies.
However, it is unclear how the two deputies, whose names have not been revealed, were involved in the incident with the 29-year-old who was fatally injured.
“I have launched an internal investigation into the conduct of these deputies to determine what occurred and if any policies were violated," Banner said in his statement, adding "both of these deputies have been relieved of duty pending the outcome of this administrative investigation.”
The video footage released shows the five Memphis police officers attacking Nichols, where he appears to be knocked out, struggling to hold consciousness.
Officers are seen pepper spraying, beating, and throwing Nichols around on the ground as he pleaded with them to stop. Nichols can be heard cooperating with the officers in the video, however, the cops ignore his cries and continue attacking him.
In the last video, the officers can be seen standing around Nichols as paramedics tend to him.
Former officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith are charged with second-degree murder, two counts of official misconduct, one count of official oppression, aggravated assault-act in concert, and two counts of aggravated kidnapping.