WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) on Friday released the following statement:

“There are no words to adequately describe the outrage every American should feel about the brutal beating and death of Tyre Nichols. The body cam footage released tonight is appalling, and my heart is with the Nichols family as they are forced not only to grieve this unthinkable tragedy but also to relive the trauma in the public eye. The swift firing of the five police officers involved in Tyre’s death and the serious charges being brought against them are a step toward accountability. Tyre’s family deserves nothing short of a full and transparent investigation.

“Under no circumstances should the outcome of a routine traffic stop be the death of an innocent Black man. 32 years after the nation was transfixed by eerily similar footage of the beating of Rodney King, it’s time to ask: have we made any progress at all? Last year, killings by the police in the United States reached an all-time high. Congress must recognize that without systemic reform that addresses the root causes of this violence, Tyre’s death will just be one of over a thousand fatal police interactions in 2023.”

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