Two Shelby County Sheriff's deputies who appeared on the scene following the fatal beating of 29-year-old Black man Tyre Nichols are under investigation, Sheriff Floyd Bonner announced Friday.
The deputies have been "relieved of duty" pending an internal investigation into potential policy violations.
Bonner said he reviewed the footage of Nichols' fatal beating for the first time Friday evening. The City of Memphis, custodians of the body camera and SkyCop footage, released the four videos Friday at 6 p.m., about three weeks after police officers beat Nichols, who was first pulled over in a traffic stop on Jan. 7. Nichols died three days later.
More:Tyre Nichols death: How to navigate news coverage, social media as footage releases
"Having watched the videotape for the first time tonight, I have concerns about two deputies who appeared on the scene following the physical confrontation between police and Tyre Nichols," Bonner said in a statement Friday night. "I have launched an internal investigation into the conduct of these deputies to determine what occurred and if any policies were violated. Both of these deputies have been relieved of duty pending the outcome of this administrative investigation."
Bonner has announced his candidacy for Memphis mayor, a position that oversees the Memphis Police Department.
Five Memphis police officers were terminated and later indicted on felony charges of second-degree murder, assault, kidnapping, official misconduct and oppression.
Two employees of the Memphis Fire Department have been "relieved of duty" pending internal investigations, the department said Monday. The department said it also viewed the City of Memphis footage for the first time Friday and plans to conclude investigations next week.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Laura Testino covers education and children's issues for the Commercial Appeal. Reach her at laura.testino@commercialappeal.com or 901-512-3763. Find her on Twitter: @LDTestino
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: 2 Memphis sheriff's deputies being investigated in Tyre Nichols' death
