Tyre Nichols' Death 'Senseless:' Lower Merion Police Superintendent

LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA — As police departments around the nation react to video of Tyre Nichols' arrest by Memphis Police, Lower Merion's top cop had harsh words for the actions seen by the officers involved.

Lower Merion Police Superintendent Michael McGrath in a statement Tuesday called Nichols' death a "senseless act of police brutality."

"I know that I am having difficulty trying to comprehend how police officers who have a sworn duty to protect the sanctity of human life conducted themselves in the manner that we all witnessed," he said.

Five officers involved in the incident – Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Justin Smith, Emmitt Martin, and Desmond Mills Jr. – have been charged with second-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, and more.

Recently released footage of the incident showed the officers taking Nichols into custody and beating him.

McGrath extended sympathies to Nichols' family and friends in the wake of his death.

"Examples of police brutality tears apart communities and erodes community trust in the institutions that we expect will protect us," McGrath said.

McGrath said citizens "must acknowledge the brutality we witnessed and commit ourselves to finding solutions to ending these incidents."