Whenever I see a pretty sunset, I now can’t help but think of Tyre Nichols. Tyre, a 29-year-old Black man from Memphis was an avid lover of pink and orange skies.
His photography website reads, “My name is Tyre D. Nichols. I am an aspiring photographer. Well I mostly do this stuff for fun but I enjoy it very much. Photography helps me look at the world in a more creative way. It expresses me in ways I cannot write down for people … I hope to one day let people see what I see and to hopefully admire my work based on the quality and ideals of my work. Your friend, Tyre D. Nichols.”
His mother told the Washington Post “every night, he wanted to go and look at the sunset.”
He was the father to a four-year-old son and worked at FedEx. His family described him as a “beautiful soul.” Tyre was known in the Sacramento skateboarding community as a good skater and friend. One friend told TIME “His style was so unique. Just relaxed and laid back. The man had it going on, bro.”
Tyre was brutally murdered by five Black police officers after suffering deadly injuries on Jan. 7. Pulled over not even a block away from his home on an alleged reckless driving accusation, Tyre was horrendously beaten, tased and kicked. He was hospitalized before passing on Jan. 10.
Disappointingly, coverage was local until around Jan. 19. There was some dialogue on Twitter in the week following his death, but no major national conversation. It makes one wonder — what exactly does it take for a lost life at the hands of law enforcement to make the news?
The five officers involved in the incident were fired on Jan. 20 and charged with murder on Jan. 26. Names and photos were released, shocking the nation. Officers had never been fired so early in a case before. This appeared to be a victorious moment for the public who praised the quick decision.
Maybe all those protests did do something — citizens were tear-gassed in the streets in the midst of a pandemic. But, the relief was short-lived. What was later uncovered was even darker than what the situation appeared to be, if you could even imagine that.
On Jan. 27, the horrific police body cam footage was released, igniting a much stronger public reaction much like the rapid movement around George Floyd. I did not watch the footage and recommend that anyone reading this does not as well, so as to not give that trauma any more power.
Due to the extremely graphic nature of the video, Tyre’s name began to trend and protests emerged all over the country that the following weekend.
Then came the infographics. #SunsetsforTyre was a trending topic. Even Tony Hawk donated money to Tyre’s fund in memory of the avid skateboarder.
But what do we do now?
What do we do with the information that yet another Black man suffered so much he called out for his mother under the hands of who we’re supposed to trust with our safety?
As the investigation unfolded, it was found that the officers all belonged to a specialized team, the SCORPION Unit, which was known for its excessive force approach. On January 28th, the unit was disbanded. An additional two officers have been relieved from duty along with three EMTs since for their involvement in the situation.
Upon the arrest of the officers, President Biden tweeted out, “Tyre’s death is a painful reminder that we must do more to ensure that our justice system lives up to the promise of fairness and dignity for all.”
How many reminders does a nation need before real changes are made?