MEMPHIS, TN – An unsupervised mob scene…that description has been applied to the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee. CBS News Correspondent Jim Krasula says police on the scene lacked leadership.
He told WKOK’s On The Mark Tuesday there were nearly two dozen first responders on the scene, “Police, EMTs, firemen, paramedics, and it’s just striking that no one offered aid to this fellow. Subsequently, we really learned through video and audio that no one took charge of the situation.”
Krasula says first responders’ handling of the situation was similar to what happened in the Uvalde, Texas school shooting when it took officers over an hour to break into the school.
As of midday Tuesday, seven officers have been disciplined for Nichols’ death, including the five accused of beating him, along with three emergency responders being fired.
Krasula says it’s also still not clear why Nichols was pulled over, “Initially, they said it was for reckless driving. Now, the police chief in Memphis late last week put out a statement saying in terms of a follow-up investigation, they could not find any indication that Tyree Nichols was actually driving recklessly.”
Krasula added its unknown if the white officer disciplined from the incident was actually the first to the scene and used a Taser on Nichols. However, it’s already been reported the five officers who allegedly beat him to death are black.
You can hear more from CBS’ Jim Krasula on this case on the WKOK.com Podcast Page or wherever you listen to podcasts.
