Five Memphis police officers have been charged with murdering Tyre Nichols, 29 (Picture: AP)
A special US police unit whose officers are accused of murdering Tyre Nichols during a violent arrest has been disbanded.
The 50-strong Scorpion unit was tasked with bringing down crime levels in certain areas of Memphis, Tennessee.
Five of its officers attempted to detain Tyre in a traffic stop before repeatedly beating him despite video footage appearing to show no provocation from the 29-year-old.
The five officers – Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr, Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith – were charged with second-degree murder three days later when Tyre died in hospital from ‘extensive bleeding caused by a severe beating’.
They also face charges of aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping, official misconduct and official oppression.
Scorpion stands for ‘Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods’.
Memphis Police Department issued a statement saying ‘it is in the best interest of all to permanently deactivate’ the entire unit.
It added: ‘While the heinous actions of a few casts a cloud of dishonour on the title Scorpion, it is imperative that we, the Memphis Police Department, take proactive steps in the healing process for all impacted.’
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Lawyers representing Tyre’s family welcomed the move as ‘both appropriate and proportional to the tragic death of Tyre Nichols, and also a decent and just decision for all citizens of Memphis’.
Four of the five officers were bailed from custody by Friday morning. Two of them, Martin and Mills, have reportedly indicated they will plead not guilty.
In footage of the incident, Tyre is heard calmly telling the officers ‘Alright’ and ‘OK’ as they drag him out of his car, adding: ‘Stop, I’m not doing anything.’
Despite offering no visible resistance, he appears to be thrown to the ground by officers with guns drawn and does not struggle as they attempt to handcuff him.
Nichols surrounded by the officers beating him
Nichols leaning against a car after the brutal attack (Picture: AP)
One of the officers then appears to try and use a Taser on him, after which he breaks free and runs down the street.
After a brief chase the police pepper spray him, punch him, kick him and strike him with a baton.
Tyre, now limp, is heard calling out for his mother before the officers leave him propped up against a police car.
Two fire department officials apparently arrived on the scene with medical kits after 10 minutes but stood around while the officers fist-bumped, and Tyre was not seen to for another 10 minutes after.
Officer Tadarrius Bean (Picture: Reuters)
Officer Demetrius Haley (Picture: Reuters)
Officer Desmond Mills, Jr (Picture: Reuters)
Officer Emmitt Martin III (Picture: Reuters)
Officer Justin Smith (Picture: Reuters)
The officers initially claimed Tyre was pulled over for reckless driving, however the start of the traffic stop was not filmed for reasons which are unclear.
His family claim he was an avid photographer and had been out trying to take pictures of the sunset.
Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis previously said that her department reviewed footage, including from body cameras, to ‘determine what [the] probable cause was’ for Tyre’s arrest.
She said investigators ‘have not been able to substantiate that – … It doesn’t mean that something didn’t happen, but there’s no proof.’
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump comforts RowVaughn Wells, mother of Tyre Nichols (Picture: Getty)
Nichols died in a hospital on January 10 (Picture: Reuters)
Ms Davis said the officers were ‘already ramped up, at about a 10’ during the stop and were ‘aggressive, loud, using profane language and probably scared Mr Nichols from the very beginning’.
Demonstrations broke out across the US on Friday night, with estimates of up to 100 people gathering in each of Memphis, New York and Washington, D.C., and dozens of protesters seen in Philadelphia.
The protests remained largely peaceful, though two people were arrested in Times Square after a police car was smashed.
Nichols’ mother RowVaughn Wells said: ‘I don’t want us burning up our city, tearing up the streets, because that’s not what my son stood for.
‘If you guys are here for me and Tyre, then you will protest peacefully.’
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Five Memphis police officers carrying out a traffic stop violently beat the 29-year-old, who died in hospital three days later.
