Amherst Town Officials Issue Joint Statement On The Killing Of Tyre Nichols

Town of Amherst officials issued this joint statement on February 1, 2023, on the killing ot Tyre Nichols.

As Town officials responsible for public safety in the Town of Amherst, we stand united in our condemnation of the murder of Tyre Nichols by members of the Memphis Police Department. 

As Mr. Nichols’ family carries him to his final resting place, we offer our sincere condolences to his family for the tragic loss of their loved one. And we grieve with his family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and community, especially the Black community which has experienced yet another instance of police brutality. 

Watching the video that was released, we are horrified at the utter brutality of these uniformed police officers, and by the inexcusable failure to intervene by other uniformed police officers and emergency medical service workers from the Memphis Fire Department. 

As public safety leaders, we reaffirm that our purpose is to ensure the safety of all members of our community, which means to render assistance when needed and to intercede to prevent harm when it is witnessed. 

For those of us who would find comfort in being with others to share our grief – and rage – we will be hosting a Grief Circle on Monday, February 6th from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. in the Bangs Community Center. The Grief Circle is open to anyone and will be hosted by members of the Town’s DEI and CRESS Departments and include trained facilitators. Please join us for community, sharing, and refreshments.  

We, along with our residents, will work to transform our grief and anger into building a more just community. The Town believes in fostering and maintaining a safe and welcoming community, which is based on mutual respect for our residents, students, employees, businesses, and guests. We are taking tangible steps to bring this vision to reality. The town is currently engaged in multiple community-driven initiatives to help advance equity, racial and social justice, transparency, and accountability in our community. We are determined and ready to work hard for these values. 

If you have questions or need to be connected to resources, please contact the Town Manager’s Office at 413-259-3002 or by email at townmanager@amherstma.gov

Sincerely,  

Town Manager Paul Bockelman, Police Chief Scott Livingstone, CRESS Director Earl Miller, DEI Director Pamela Nolan Young, Fire Chief Tim Nelson