Fact Check: The five officers involved in the beating of Tyre Nichols were part of a crime suppression team called the Scorpion Unit, which was disbanded weeks after Nichols died.

Fact Check: "The five officers involved in the beating of Tyre Nichols were part of a crime suppression team called the Scorpion Unit, which was disbanded weeks after Nichols died."

What We Know

On January 7, 2023, Tyre Nichols was stopped by five officers from the Memphis Police Department (MPD) who were part of a specialized unit known as the SCORPION unit, which stands for "Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace In Our Neighborhoods." Nichols was subsequently beaten by these officers and died three days later, on January 10, 2023, due to blunt force trauma, classified as a homicide (Wikipedia). Following the incident, the SCORPION unit was officially disbanded on January 28, 2023, as part of the MPD's response to the public outcry and demands for accountability (NPR, New York Times).

Analysis

The claim that the five officers involved in the beating of Tyre Nichols were part of the SCORPION unit is supported by multiple credible sources. The officers, identified as Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Desmond Mills Jr., Emmitt Martin III, and Justin Smith, were all members of this specialized unit, which was created to address crime in high-risk areas of Memphis (Wikipedia, Reuters).

The SCORPION unit was disbanded shortly after Nichols' death, reflecting the MPD's acknowledgment of the need for reform in the wake of the incident. Chief Cerelyn J. Davis stated that the decision to disband the unit was made to take proactive steps in the healing process for the community (NPR, BBC). This aligns with the broader context of police reform discussions that emerged following Nichols' death, highlighting systemic issues within specialized policing units (Newsweek).

The reliability of these sources is high, as they include reputable news organizations and an extensive entry from Wikipedia that cites multiple primary and secondary sources. The information is corroborated across various outlets, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of the events surrounding Nichols' death and the subsequent actions taken by the MPD.

Conclusion

Verdict: True. The claim that the five officers involved in the beating of Tyre Nichols were part of a crime suppression team called the SCORPION Unit, which was disbanded weeks after Nichols died, is accurate. The evidence from multiple credible sources confirms that these officers were indeed members of the SCORPION unit and that the unit was disbanded shortly after the incident, reflecting a significant response to the public outcry for police accountability and reform.

Sources

1. Killing of Tyre Nichols - Wikipedia
2. Memphis deactivates the unit that fatally beat Tyre Nichols - NPR
3. Judge recuses himself days before sentencing officers in Tyre Nichols - AP News
4. Memphis Police Disband Unit Whose Officers Were - New York Times
5. Memphis disbands police unit after fatal beating - Reuters
6. Tyre Nichols: Police unit is disbanded after death - BBC
7. What was the SCORPION unit, the now-deactivated police task force at - ABC News
8. Tyre Nichols Death: Police Look To 'Rebuild Trust' As Unit Disbanded - Newsweek