VP Harris addresses mourners at Tyre Nichols' funeral

Tyre Nichols died three days after the violent encounter with Memphis police.

Tyre Nichols' family gathered in Memphis, Tennessee, for his funeral, weeks after the 29-year-old died following a violent encounter with Memphis police caught on body camera.

Graphic footage of the Jan. 7 traffic stop, which showed officers beating Nichols, was released to the public on Friday and sparked nationwide outrage. Nichols, a young father who loved skateboarding, died on Jan. 10, after spending three days in a hospital.

Five officers involved in the incident have since been fired and charged with several felonies, including second-degree murder.


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Families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, Botham Jean attend service

Families of other Black Americans killed by police -- George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner and Botham Jean -- came to pay their respects at Wednesday’s funeral.

“They’ve come to be with you on this day from all over the country,” the Rev. Al Sharpton said.


VP Harris hugs Tyre Nichols’ mom

Vice President Kamala Harris had a long embrace with Tyre Nichols’ mother, RowVaughn Wells, when she arrived at the service.

Harris is sitting next to Wells in the front pew.

-ABC News' Steph Wash


Fellow grieving mom offers condolences

Tiffany Rachal, whose son, Jalen Randle, was shot and killed by an officer in Houston last year, said at Tyre Nichols’ funeral service, “I’m here to offer my condolence to you.”

“I pray that God heal your broken heart,” she said to Nichols' family. “We are fighting together. And all the mothers all over the world need to come together.”


Funeral delayed to 2 p.m. ET

Wednesday’s funeral has been delayed to 2 p.m. ET due to an ice storm in Memphis.


Sharpton: ‘We won’t stop until we hold you accountable'

The Rev. Al Sharpton told mourners that the body camera video “speaks for itself.”

“We understand that there are concerns about public safety. But you don’t fight crime by becoming criminals yourself,” Sharpton said.

He vowed, “We won’t stop until we hold you accountable and change this system.”

Sharpton said he wants to see the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act passed so “you have to think twice before you beat Tyre Nichols. You think twice before you shoot at someone unarmed.”

He added, "If that man had been white, you wouldn't have beat him. ... We're asking to be treated equal."

Sharpton, who was raised by a single mother, said he was "touched" when he heard Tyre Nichols calling for his mother on the video, "just like George Floyd was calling for his mother."

"All he wanted to do was get home."