City Council Holds Moment of Silence For Tyre Nichols

At the beginning of Monday’s City Council meeting, the Pasadena City Council held a moment of silence for a man killed by Memphis police. 

Across the country there has been outrage in response to the death of Tyre Nichols.

Nichols was brutally beaten by police during a traffic stop.

“I think we were all shocked and stunned to see what we saw occur on a video coming out of Memphis, Tennessee,” Mayor Victor Gordo said at the beginning of Monday’s meeting. “I’d like us all to recognize that activity like this should not occur anywhere in our country.”

Nichols, 29, was pulled over in a Jan. 7 traffic stop in Memphis and died at a hospital three days after the fatal beating. The five officers, who are also Black, have since been fired and charged with murder.

“Following the events in Memphis and upon viewing the video footage, I am compelled to send thoughts and prayers to everyone impacted in that community,” said Pasadena Police Chief Eugene Harris in a prepared statement. 

“Though force is a tool sometimes necessary in the application of the community protection mission, we are held to a higher standard. We must continuously pursue the highest level of police performance, professional conduct, and best practices as we serve our communities. The men and women of the Pasadena Police Department are committed to providing policing and other community services with efficacy as we apply the “legal, moral, ethical, safe, and within policy” standard. Additionally, we will remain committed to the highest levels of training and hiring standards to ensure effective policing in all cases, including and especially in police use of force. I encourage community members to contact my office directly with questions or concerns.”

Lora Dene King, daughter of former Pasadena resident Rodney King, sent a letter to Nichols’ family expressing her condolences. 

Rodney King’s beating at the hands of LAPD officers in 1991 resulted in riots across in LA County after a jury failed to convict the police officers.