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A sixth Memphis police officer has been relieved of responsibility after the visitors cease that led to Tyre Nichols’ loss of life earlier this month, police stated Monday.
The division recognized the officer as Preston Hemphill in response to emailed questions from NBC Information on whether or not he was the officer seen on video firing a stun gun at Nichols. A police spokesperson didn’t instantly reply that query.
“Officer Hemphill is relieved of responsibility. That is an ongoing investigation. As soon as further info is obtainable, we’ll replace our social media platforms. Hemphill was employed in 2018,” the division spokesperson stated.
5 different officers — Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith — had been fired on Jan. 20 after an administrative investigation discovered that they had violated division coverage on using power. They had been employed between 2017 and 2020.
![People protest in New York on Jan. 27, 2023, following the release of body cam footage showing Memphis police beating Tyre Nichols, who later died.](https://i0.wp.com/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best/rockcms/2023-01/230130-nyc-tyre-nichols-protest-jm-1235-b441fa.jpg?resize=2500%2C1667&ssl=1)
The previous officers had been charged with second-degree homicide, two counts of official misconduct, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, one rely of official oppression and one rely of aggravated assault, prosecutors introduced final week.
Neither Hemphill nor his household had been instantly reached for remark Monday. A consultant with the union representing rank-and-file officers, the Memphis Police Affiliation, was additionally not reached.
Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man who was an beginner photographer and skateboarder, was hospitalized in vital situation and died three days after the Jan. 7 visitors cease.
A number of police movies launched Friday present officers punching, kicking and hitting Nichols with a baton.
There have been three movies from police physique cameras and one from a police surveillance digicam mounted on a pole. A physique digicam video exhibits Nichols escaped whereas on the bottom and an officer shot a stun gun at him. No less than one officer appeared to have been hit with a chemical irritant when it was sprayed at Nichols in the course of the preliminary encounter.
![Tyre Nichols.](https://i0.wp.com/media-cldnry.s-nbcnews.com/image/upload/t_fit-760w,f_auto,q_auto:best/rockcms/2023-01/230126-tyre-nichols-mn-1555-350229.jpg?resize=913%2C609&ssl=1)
Nichols managed to run to his mom’s neighborhood and was about 80 yards from her home when he was seen on video assaulted by a number of officers as he shouted for her assist.
Two Shelby County Sheriff’s Workplace deputies had been relieved of responsibility pending an administrative investigation in connection to Nichols’ loss of life, Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. announced Friday evening after watching the video for the primary time.
Bonner stated he had “considerations about two deputies who appeared on the scene following the bodily confrontation between police and Tyre Nichols.”
The investigation will look into their conduct to find out what occurred and if any insurance policies had been violated, the sheriff stated.
Final week, two Memphis hearth personnel additionally had been “relieved of responsibility” whereas that division conducts an inner investigation into Nichols’s loss of life.
Hearth spokesperson Qwanesha Ward stated the staff had been “concerned within the preliminary affected person care” of Nichols; she didn’t present additional particulars.
“That is an ongoing investigation, and we can’t remark additional at the moment,” Ward stated in a Jan. 24 assertion.
It is a growing story. Please examine again for updates.
Melissa Chan contributed.