6th Memphis police officer suspended in Tyre Nichols beating

A sixth Memphis police officer involved in the brutal beating and arrest of Tire Nichols has been suspended, a department spokesman confirmed Monday.

The officer, Preston Hemphill, was placed on administrative leave shortly after the investigation into Nichols’ Jan. 7 arrest began in a southeastern Memphis neighborhood. It wasn’t immediately clear what role Hemphill, who joined the force in 2018, played in the incident.

Nichols died three days after a traffic stop at a local hospital, which escalated into a gruesome assault in which officers kicked, punched and pepper-sprayed 29-year-old Nichols while he was restrained by other officers. The killing has reignited debate about the police’s role in policing traffic and the existence of specialized crime-suppression units. The officers who stopped Nichols for an unspecified traffic violation were members of one such team, nicknamed the Scorpion Unit, which has since been disbanded.

After a review of video footage of the beating, five of the officers involved were fired and charged with murder in Nichols’ death. In the weeks since the incident, local activists have urged that Police Chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis also terminate other officers present.

A police department spokesman said Hemphill’s suspension was not announced earlier because the officer has not been fired and the department normally releases information about officers who are dismissed from duty following the conclusion of an investigation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.