‘So many of us have been killed and forgotten’: Hundreds gather to mourn the death of Tyre Nichols

Marsha Augustin News10NBC

[anvplayer video=”5160568″ station=”998131″]

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Many of us have seen the horrific video of Tyre Nichols being beaten by five Memphis police officers. On Wednesday hundreds gathered in our community a few hours ago and called for justice for Tyre and all lives lost to police brutality, and say enough is enough.

With heavy hearts, a candle in one hand and a flower in the other, hundreds filled Daniel Prude Square at MLK park to shine a light on the life of Tyre Nichols, George Floyd, Daniel Prude and other lives lost to police brutality.

Councilmember Stanley Martin says it’s important to know their names and say their names.

“So many of us have been killed and forgotten,” says Martin. “When we gather and say their names it’s for their families, it’s for their loved ones. It’s to let them know that we who are on the ground who are one degree of separation away who might experience it at any time remember and we will hold them in our hearts and literally everything we do will be in their honor.”

Martin says it’s sad to be here once again hosting a vigil. However, there need to be systemic changes. The hope is by standing together and raising their voices together, that will happen.

“I’m so tired of it,” says Martin “Its just so devasting and dehumanizing. At some point, I want to be seen. I want people who look like me to be seen who we are not a threat.”

Terrel Brock agrees and says he’s afraid. He just completed a five-hour driving course but may not move forward with getting his license.

“Truthfully it hurts,” says Brock. “It hurts my core my heart. It hurts being a black male. If you want the honest truth I’m crying on the inside.”

Katrina Wade believes tonight’s turnout shows this is a community that can come together even through tragedy. She brought yellow roses as a symbol of remembrance.

“It was something that I wanted to bring so that we could all come together,” says Wade. “In this place for Daniel Prude, for everybody that has been affected by Tyre, the social injustice.”

Organizers say it doesn’t end here. They do have calls to action. They know the city budget is coming up and are asking for investments in the community and not the police.