Following fatal beating of Tyre Nichols, Memphis police disband SCORPION Unit

A Memphis police car.
(Image credit: Brad Vest/Getty Images)

The Memphis Police Department announced Saturday that it would disband the anti-gang SCORPION unit to which the officers involved in the deadly beating of Tyre Nichols belonged.

Short for "Street Crimes Operation to Restore Peace in Our Neighborhoods," the SCORPION Unit has been heavily criticized following a traffic stop in which five of the unit's officers severely beat 29-year-old Tyre Nichols. Nichols would die from his injuries three days after the beating. Nichols was Black, as were the officers who attacked him.

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Justin Klawans, The Week US

 Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other Hollywood news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.