Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Revokes Membership Of Officers Involved In Tyre Nichols Death

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. has revoked the membership of the former Memphis police officers involved in the death of Tyre Nichols. The organization stated they will also be barred from any privileges awarded to active members.

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. was unaware three officers involved in the incident were part of its organization until Jan. 31, Ricky L. Lewis, Grand Basileus, said in a statement. 

The organization released a previous statement addressing Nichols’ death following news that one of the officers, 24-year-old Tadarrius Bean, was the Omega Psi Phi Eta Zeta chapter president at the University of Mississippi. Two others involved in the incident, Emmitt Martin III (Sigma Lambda Lambda chapter), and Desmond Mills Jr. (also Sigma Lambda Lambda chapter), also belonged to the historically Black fraternity. 

“A few days ago, on behalf of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated, we joined with all other caring, thoughtful, decent, and fair-minded people in America and around the world in extending our deepest sympathy to the family of Tyre Nichols,” Lewis said. “We have since learned that three of the former Memphis police officers involved in the horrific incident were members of our organization.”

The Jan. 31 release explained that video footage of the incident, in which the former officers brutally beat Nichols, showed they “transgressed our Fraternal and established Code of Conduct.”

The statement also highlighted the fraternity in the Memphis community and beyond, reminding the public that its active members are committed to its ethos. 

Omega Psi Phi’s initial statement rubbed the public the wrong way, Sportskeeda reports, with many feeling it was surface-level and didn’t include action against the officers.