Memphis officer charged in beating death of Tyre Nichols attended school in Hartford

Desmond Mills Jr. graduated from Bloomfield High School in Hartford County 15 years ago.

News 12 Staff

Jan 27, 2023, 10:23 PM

Updated 616 days ago

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New body cam video has been released showing the moments Tyre Nichols was brutally beaten by police during a traffic stop. He died three days later. One of the five former Memphis police officers charged in Nichols' death has ties to Connecticut.
In the video, officers can be seen stopping Nichols at a traffic stop for alleged reckless driving. A second confrontation happened after Nichols fled on foot. Officers caught up to him and proceeded to attempt to arrest him. Body camera footage shows the officers then beating Nichols.
Desmond Mills Jr. is one of the officers involved and is facing charges including second-degree murder and aggravated assault. Mills has posted $250,000 bond.
Mills graduated from Bloomfield High School in Hartford County 15 years ago.
The school issued a statement saying, "Bloomfield Public Schools is aware of the disturbing situation involving five police officers in Memphis, Tenn. We can confirm that one of the officers – Desmond Mills Jr. - is a graduate of Bloomfield High School, Class of 2008. We will have no further comment on this, as it is a criminal matter."
Mills and the other former officers, Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III and Justin Smith, are accused in a violent confrontation during a traffic stop that led to the death of Nichols.