Alaskans react to Tyre Nichols video

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - The Memphis Police Department released video footage of Memphis Police officers arresting and beating 29-year-old Tyre Nichols shortly after 3 p.m. Alaska time on Friday.

Nichols was pulled over in early January for suspected reckless driving and was beaten severely by the five officers who responded to the scene. Nichols died three days later in the hospital from injuries sustained during the beating.

The released footage showed Nichols being hit, punched, kicked and beaten with a baton. In addition, viewers can hear Nichols call for his mother during the footage.

“This is the second situation that I know of where the individual called out for his mother,” Alaska Black Caucus President Celeste Hodge Growden said. “This has got to stop.”

Growden said she was confused and angry about how this could happen. Growden reiterated the importance of transparency and more accountability for the actions of police officers.

“It has happened a lot since then,” small business owner Roscoe Wyche said. “For some odd reason or another, it’s not getting the notoriety of what it should. But the incidents have continued to happen, and they haven’t stopped happening.”

Wyche also commented on the factor that all five officers who beat Nichols were also Black. Wyche said that the color of the badge that all officers wear is the same — no matter their skin tone — and said that they all share the same duty to serve and protect.

“The color doesn’t stop the performance of the job,” Wyche said. “Just because you are black, doesn’t mean you have the authority or the right to disregard the civil rights of another human being.”

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