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Memorial fund for Tyre Nichols reaches more than $500K

Nichols' mother writes that the money will go to help cover the family's mental-health services, among other things.
Credit: WATN
Tyre Nichols

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — More than $500,000 was raised Saturday by the official GoFundMe account set up by Tyre Nichols' mother and stepfather. 

RowVaughan Wells writes in the fundraising post that the money will be used to help the family cope with Nichols' death, as well as help it afford to grieve, and to set up a memorial in his honor.

"This fundraiser will help cover the costs of our mental health services," she writes. "It will also cover time off from our 9-5 jobs because we do not have unlimited PTO. Additionally, we want to build a memorial skate park for Tyre, in honor of his love for skating and sunsets." 

The online fundraiser had a stated goal of raising $700,000 as of Saturday afternoon.

Nichols, a photographer and skateboarding enthusiast, died Jan. 10 after being pulled over and beaten by five Memphis Police officers on Jan. 7, reportedly suspected of reckless driving.

"During my son's interaction with the police, they beat him beyond recognition until he became unconscious," Wells writes on the fundraising page. "He was then taken to a hospital and immediately placed on life support. . . . His cousin who saw him in the hospital, swollen and disfigured, like 'he was a scary monster.' "  

Five officers, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith, are accused of violating department policy during the Jan. 7 traffic stop that led to the 29-year-old father's death three days later. 

They face second-degree murder charges, as well as two counts of official misconduct, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, one count of official oppression and one count of aggravated assault.  

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