Official City of Long Beach Statement Regarding Release of Tyre Nichols’ Fatal Beating; Resources listed below

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PRESS RELEASE

Today, the video of Tyre Nichols' violent arrest and beating was released and is now circulating widely. Some people may feel duty-bound to bear witness to this event, while other people, including children, may inadvertently see the video.

The City of Long Beach has compiled a list of resources, provided by the Department of Health and Human Services, in consultation with people who are trained in trauma-informed care. Exposure to violent news can cause a trauma response, and the viewing of such violent content can even lead to post-traumatic stress disorder.

Do a mental health check-in
Please take a moment to check in with yourself before deciding whether to view this content. Think about your own ability to absorb such images, as well as what might be happening in your own life, or in your personal history, and how viewing such content might affect your mental health. There is no wrong answer to the question of whether to watch the video. If you do choose to watch the video, or are exposed to it, check in with your mind and body afterward, and seek help if you are struggling.

Talking to your children
Between social media and smart phones, many children may watch the Tyre Nichols' video or be otherwise exposed to it. It is important to check in with the children in your life about what they have heard and seen.

About Tyre Nichols' life and death
Tyre Nichols was born June 5, 1993. An avid photographer with a 4-year-old son, he grew up in Sacramento, California, skateboarding with friends and attending a youth church group that met at a local skate park. Shortly before the pandemic hit, he moved to Memphis, where he worked at FedEx, on the same shift as his stepfather. Every evening, on their 7 p.m. break, they had dinner. He was 29 years old when, on Jan. 10, he died as a result of a violent arrest on Jan. 7.

The five former police officers involved in the beating have been charged with murder, and the City of Long Beach unequivocally condemns this act. The City urges everyone to process their feelings about Tyre Nichols' death in ways that are not violent or self-destructive.

Here are some places you can find immediate help:

• Long Beach Mental Health Matters
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
• The Anxiety and Depression Association of America
• The National Alliance on Mental Illness
• SAMSHSA's National Helpline
• Crisis Text Line

For resources specific to Black wellness:

• Black Mental Health Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Traumatic Events

• National Institute of Mental Health

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