Three Memphis Fire Department employees failed to provide “adequate patient assessments” when called to provide medical assistance after Tyre Nichols was beaten by police officers Monday, the fire department said. was dismissed for
Two paramedic technicians, Robert Long and Jameel Sandridgeand the fire truck driver, Lt. Michelle Whittaker, were initially called in to provide medical assistance for Nichols being pepper sprayed.
“Our investigation found that the two EMTs responded based on the initial nature of the call (pepper sprayed) and information communicated at the scene and failed to conduct an adequate patient assessment of Mr. Nichols. concluded,” the MFD statement read..”After the initial interaction with Mr. Nichols, they requested an ambulance to respond.”
Long and Sandridge arrived in the neighborhood at 8:41 pm, an ambulance was dispatched at 8:46 pm and arrived at 8:55 pm, according to a statement. By 9:08 pm, Nichols was taken to St. Francis Hospital.
Whittaker stayed in the engine the whole time.
“An internal investigation determined that EMT-B Long, EMT-A Sandridge, and Lieutenant Whittaker violated numerous MFD policies and protocols,” the statement said. “As a result, EMT-B Long, EMT-A Sandridge, and Lieutenant Whittaker have been fired from the Memphis Fire Department.”
Two personnel involved in “Tyre Nichols’ first patient care” were confirmed to have been relieved of duty by a Fire Department spokesperson on January 23.
Filmed from SkyCop cameras at Castlegate and Bear Creek Lane, the video of Nichols being beaten is silent and about 30 minutes long. The camera rolls and shows two officers violently pressing Nichols’ face to the ground as he is about to flip over.
Officers then beat, kicked, and punched Nichols repeatedly with batons.
The officer drags Nichols over the concrete and makes him lean against the patrol car. At this point, at least six police officers are present.
With Nichols cuddling up to the car and more cops gathering, the minutes stretch. At one point, Nichols appears to get out of the car and lie completely on the ground.
A stretcher is brought to Nichols 28 minutes into the video.
No criminal charges have been filed against the firefighters.
Five former Memphis police officers were fired and later charged with involvement in Nichols’ death. They all face one count of second-degree murder, one count of aggravated assault, one count of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of obstruction of justice, and one count of obstruction of justice.
A Shelby County District Attorney’s Office spokesman on Monday said no charges have been filed against all but five former police officers, but the DA’s office is continuing to investigate and may file more charges later. .
Lucas Finton is a news reporter for The Commercial Appeal. You can reach him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @LucasFinton.
This article originally appeared on the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Death of Tyre Nichols: 3 Memphis Fire Department employees fired