MEMPHIS, Tenn. — In the wake of the brutal police beating of Tyre Nichols, thousands are expected to arrive in Memphis for his funeral on Wednesday.
The service will be held at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Midtown. At the church, final preparations are being made for the funeral celebrating the life of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols.
Rev. Dr. J. Lawrence Turner, the senior pastor at The Blvd who’ll be presiding over the service, told WREG the Nichols family wants Memphis and the world to remember more than just the brutality of how he died after the police beating.
“They’ve been seeking ways to highlight some of the precious memories that they shared with Tyre in life. So, the people will get a chance to see more than the disturbing video,” Turner said.
The church is expected to be at capacity as thousands remember the 29-year father who loved his family, skateboarding and photographing sunsets.
“We want to allow the nation what a beautiful soul this was that we lost so tragically. We hope the service will reflect much of what the family has requested from African drumming to upbeat musical selections that hopefully will be a healing balm,” Turner said.
In the wake of Nichols’ death, Rev. Al Sharpton will give the eulogy that will likely also address the call for police reform in Memphis and other U.S cities.
“We are going to come out of Memphis and fight like we’ve never fought before to pass federal policing law,” Sharpton said.
Ben Crump, attorney for the Nichols family, will also deliver a “call to action.”
“He’s there in handcuffs moaning on the ground and everybody is walking around nonchalantly. There should be accountability for everybody in the video,” Crump said.
Several White House officials are scheduled to attend the funeral as they, along with the Nichols family and others, try to find a way to heal and celebrate the life of Tyre and demand change.
“I think we have an important responsibility from a faith perspective to work to make sure that we are safe place for people to find a pathway to healing in the midst of this social crisis and this specific moment when people are grieving,” Turner said.
You can watch the service live at 1 p.m. (CT) on WREG.com and on News Channel 3 on Memphis-area television.
Regular CBS programming will air on News Channel 3 Anytime on Channel 3.2 and Channel 920 if you have Comcast Xfinity.