Professional skateboarder Tony Hawk announced Friday that he plans on donating half of his proceeds from autographed photos of himself to the memorial fund of Tyre Nichols, a recent victim of police brutality.
"My proceeds from these will go to the Tyre Nichols Memorial Fund, which includes plans to build a public skatepark in his honor; as our worlds continue to grieve his loss," Hawk tweeted Friday. "He was a talented skater among other admirable traits. Let’s keep his legacy alive."
The photos will be of Hawk and BMX rider Rick Thorne, which will be sold for $30. Only 1,000 will be available for purchase on Thorne’s website. According to Thorne’s website, half of the proceeds from the autographed photos are dedicated to Nichols’ memorial fund "to help his family out, and to build a memorial skate park in his name, honoring his love for skateboarding.”
Prior to Nichols’ tragic death, he was a father to a four-year-old boy, a talented skateboarder, and a FedEx employee. He was 29-years-old when he died on Jan. 10 after being repeatedly kicked, punched, and striked with a baton by five Memphis police officers as he screamed for his mother.
Since the incident, a sixth Memphis police officer has been fired and two first responders have been suspended on Friday following the brutal arrest and death of Tyre Nichols.
Preston Hemphill, a former police officer, was discharged for violating several departmental policies, including truthfulness and misconduct in the workforce, according to the Memphis Police Department in a news release.
Hemphill worked for the department from March 2018, until he was fired on January 30, said police. The former officer is caught on body camera footage tasing Nichols and is heard saying, “I hope they stomp his ass.”
Lee Gerald, an attorney of Hemphill, told news sources that Hemphill will “continue to cooperate with all investigating agencies into the death of Tyre Nichols,” though he (Hemphill) does not agree with the department’s decision of terminating him.
Two first responders have been suspended from their positions after failing to properly treat Nichols the night that he was brutally beaten by several Memphis officers, announced the Tennessee Emergency Medical Services Division.
The medical services division stated that Robert Long and JaMichael Sandridge neglected to assist Nichols with basic emergency care for 19 minutes, even though he was “exhibiting clear signs of distress such as the inability to remain in a seated posture and laying prone on the ground multiple times.”
Long and Sandridge did not check his vital signs or conduct a head-to-toe examination, during those 19 minutes that they were present.
“Vital signs play a key role in establishing a baseline for the patient from which deterioration from medical conditions can be measured,” the board said in their reports.
Five of the former police officers are scheduled to be arraigned February 17 after being fired January 20. They were each indicted on seven counts including second-degree murder, aggravated assault, aggravated kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated kidnapping in possession of a deadly weapon, official misconduct and official oppression, stated Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy. The five officers involved are: Tadarius Bean, Demetruis Haley, Emmitt Martin ΙII, Desmond Mills Jr., and Justin Smith.
The police department is conducting an ongoing investigation into the incident and several former officers are under investigation for violating departmental violations.
Nichols’ funeral was held in Memphis on Wednesday with Rev. Al Sharpton who delivered the eulogy that mentioned a call to justice.
“Let me be clear, we understand that there are concerns about public safety. We understand that there are needs to deal with crime," Sharpton said. "But you don't fight crime by becoming criminals yourselves.”
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