The forces behind the brutal killing of Tyre Nichols

Re: “Memphis pursued get-tough strategy,” Jan. 30 news story and “Video details the fatal beating of Black man,” Jan. 28 news story

Who is responsible for the beating death, by police, of Tyre Nichols? The Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland, who spoke highly of the Scorpion unit, and Memphis Police Chief Cerelyn Davis, who ultimately created the unit?

Yes, to both. Prosecute both the mayor and the police chief of Memphis for aiding and abetting Nichols’ murder.

You will notice a significant change across the country in police behavior. Raising the responsibility for damages wreaked by “law enforcement” to higher levels will garner significant changes. Maybe law enforcement will start following the law.

Mike Enright, Lakewood 

Tyre Nichols is dead, much of the country grieving, the police officers who savagely beat him fired and charged with murder and their “elite” unit disbanded. The fundamental question (to which we may never get a satisfactory answer) is “why?”

Why was Nichols targeted? Was it, as the officers claimed, for reckless driving? Why was an “elite” unit enforcing traffic laws?

Why was there ever a (now disbanded) special “anti-crime” unit? Isn’t anti-crime the job of the entire force? Was it to terrorize “criminals” into giving up their wicked ways? (That’s thinking like Al Qaeda and ISIS.)

Why didn’t leadership in the Memphis police department recognize the problems other police forces (e.g., Baltimore) have had before with so-called “elite units”?

Ralph Taylor, Centennial

Everyone, including actors, is responsible when handling a weapon

Re: “Are charges excessive for Alec Baldwin in “Rust” shooting?” Jan. 21 commentary

Alec Baldwin was negligent when he failed to check whether or not the gun was loaded. His error in judgment illustrates the fact that he was ignorant of “gun safety” and void of any training with firearms.

He obviously either did not know or ignored, the first two rules of handling a gun. Always check, yourself, to ensure the gun is unloaded before you start handling it. And, most importantly, never point a gun at anything you do not want to destroy. Never. Ever.

Richard D VanOrsdale, Broomfield

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