Chicago’s Top Cop Urges Peace Following Release of Tire Nichols Body Camera Video – NBC Chicago

Chicago Police Supt. David Brown expressed his condolences regarding Tire Nichols’ death Friday following the release of body camera footage in the Memphis man’s police beating death, while pushing for peace across the city.

A department spokesperson issued a statement late Friday in which Brown said, in part, “I ask everyone to honor Tire and his family by expressing these emotions peacefully and safely as these former Memphis Police Department officers are being held accountable in the justice system.”

Brown’s comments came hours after Memphis police released footage showing Nichols being pulled out of his car by police officers, pepper sprayed, kicked and hit with both fists and batons as he pleaded for his mother.

Late Friday, protests took place across the country, including in Chicago, where demonstrators condemned Memphis police.

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot issued a separate statement, saying, in part, “…I urge everyone who is rightfully calling for justice to express themselves peacefully.”

“Seeing a Black man murdered by the police will always spark feelings of outrage, pain, and despair,” the mayor added. “It’s important for us to channel those emotions into working together and ensuring that as a nation, we continue to hold our law enforcement officers to the highest standards of ethical, professional and constitutional policing.”

Five officers involved in Nichols’ death, all of whom are Black, have been charged with murder and other crimes.