4th Memphis Fire Department employee investigated in Tyre Nichols' death as review nears end

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A fourth Memphis Fire Department employee is under investigation in the death of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols, Memphis' chief legal officer said.

The identity, rank and status of the employee is unknown. 

"The fourth fire personnel actually came (to the scene) much later and provided medical care and transported Mr. Nichols to the hospital," chief legal officer Jennifer Sink told reporters late Tuesday. "We have not come to a final decision as to the action against him."

Authorities could wrap up their internal investigations in the "next couple of weeks," Sink said.

The investigation has included 13 Memphis police officers and four Memphis Fire Department employees. Six Memphis police officers, two emergency medical technicians and a firefighter have been fired as the city reviews what happened leading up to the beating of Nichols on Jan. 7 and his death three days later.

The three fired fire department employees have appealed their dismissals. Five former Memphis police officers have pleaded not guilty to felony charges including second-degree murder.

Sink told the city council three of the seven additional Memphis police officers being investigated had their administrative hearings last week. The final four hearings, she said, are scheduled for Wednesday.

"The city takes this situation very seriously," Sink said. "Some of them are minor players and some of them are major players. But everybody had a role, and they're expected to perform that role in accordance with policies or training and our expectations."

At the council's committee meeting, Councilman JB Smiley asked Sink if anyone – aside from the 13 police officers and four fire department employees – was being investigated by the city.

"I can't say if that's it yet," Sink responded. "We're still conducting an investigation, and I think we'll know better after we conclude these (administrative) hearings and finalize those (potential disciplinary) decisions."

Sink has said the remaining footage and documents relating to Nichols' beating will be released after the administrative investigation is finished. 

Before four videos of the incident – from three body cameras and one SkyCop camera – were  released, Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland told The Commercial Appeal, part of the Paste BN Network, there would be discussions in the future about releasing body camera footage from officer-involved shootings. Sink said Tuesday that the city is looking to see how it can operate better.

"How can we process these situations more quickly? How can we provide the public with information more quickly? It's not a small task, but we are up for it," she said. "Everything is a case-by-case situation, though, because some situations are very complicated and they involve a lot of other parties, people and decision-makers."

Lucas Finton is a news reporter with The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached at Lucas.Finton@commercialappeal.com and followed on Twitter @LucasFinton.