Shiloh Temple is hosting a community healing event following the beating death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis.
MINNEAPOLIS — The beating death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis sparked outrage worldwide, including in the Twin Cities — a community already trying to heal from the deaths of George Floyd, Daunte Wright, Amir Locke, Philando Castile and others.
Bishop Richard D. Howell Jr. of Shiloh Temple in north Minneapolis and Bishop Harding Smith of Spiritual Church of God in Robbinsdale say they’ve been getting a lot of calls from people in the community in the days since the city of Memphis released police body camera and surveillance video of the violent traffic stop that led to Nichols’ death.
“There are a lot of people that have been struggling to come to terms of what happened,” said Smith, who is also president of Minnesota Acts Now. “Why? Why?”
“I did see the video,” Howell added. “It was shocking after George Floyd. Here we go again in this community to relive a horrible experience at the hands of law enforcement.”
Howell and Smith say they’ve been trying to fix the relationship between the community and police, especially in recent years.
“Our [Minneapolis] commissioner of public safety as well as our new police chief have been out to the streets,” Howell said. “They have been out there. They have been meeting with us … The relationship is building.”
“There are some great cops out there. They’re doing great jobs; they’re up at night protecting the community,” Smith added. “But the ones that keep coming and having center stage are those that are killing our children, you know? And so, what training? Because we see it doesn’t matter the [officers’] color, OK? What training are they receiving?”
“We have been working so hard after George Floyd, after Daunte Wright, to instill trust,” Smith continued. “[Nichols’ death] just erodes everything that we have fought so hard to preserve.”
And yet, the bishops aren’t giving up on bringing people together. They spoke to KARE 11 ahead of a healing event planned for Tuesday evening at Shiloh Temple. The event is open to everyone and includes prayer and counselors on hand for those who are grieving.
“This is the right time, I think, for our community to gather around and really see what we could do to make a difference,” Howell said.
The bishops said Philando Castile’s mother, Valerie Castile, planned to attend. Her son was shot during a traffic stop in 2016.
“They can come here, find this as a safe space to just open up; talk,” Howell added. “Come here to be healed and leave here tonight with hope.”
Nichols will be laid to rest Wednesday. Vice President Kamala Harris is set to attend the funeral.
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