4th MFD employee under investigation for involvement in Tyre Nichols’ death

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - New details emerged at Memphis City Council’s Public Safety Committee meeting on Tuesday morning.

The council wanted an update on the Memphis Police Department’s internal investigation following the death of Tyre Nichols.

Jennifer Sink, the city’s Chief Legal Officer, informed councilors that a fourth Memphis Fire Department employee is being investigated for his involvement in Nichols’ death.

“(He) came much later, provided medical care, and transported Mr. Nichols to the hospital,” Sink said.

29-year-old Nichols died at St. Francis Hospital on Jan. 10, three days after being violently apprehended by Memphis police during a traffic stop in Hickory Hill.

Sink said this unknown MFD employee has already been seen by an internal panel that reviewed any alleged policy violations.

“We’ve not come to a final decision as to the action against him,” said Sink.

These panel discussions are to determine disciplinary actions, the most severe being termination.

Any criminal charges, in this particular case, would have to come from the ongoing investigations from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and the Department of Justice (DOJ).

The last time Memphis police were before the city council, it was revealed that seven unknown MPD officers are also being investigated for their involvement in that Jan. 7 traffic stop.

That makes the total number of MPD personnel 13.

Tuesday, Sink said three of the seven had their panel hearing on Friday.

The remaining four are scheduled to go before a panel on Wednesday.

Six officers have already been terminated, five of them facing second-degree murder charges.

“The internal investigation in this situation has actually moved quite swiftly, especially when you consider the number of people that have been involved,” said Sink.

Police Chief CJ Davis was present during the committee meeting, later giving updates on the city’s crime statistics for the year.

We were told that she would not be taking questions on the Tyre Nichols investigation.

Sink also said that MPD supervisors are among the seven still under investigation.

“The investigation was not limited to officers responding to the scene,” Sink said. We did a very thorough investigation to examine everybody’s role. It is possible that we will have some additional officers that are under investigation.”

Sink said if it turns out there are no additional personnel involved in the Nichols traffic stop, the city’s internal investigation could conclude in around two weeks.

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