Tyre Nichols: Skateboard star Tony Hawk to donate photo proceeds to memorial fund

Skateboard legend Tony Hawk wants to preserve the memory of another skateboarder -- Tyre Nichols, who died three days after a confrontation with Memphis police officers last month.

>> Read more trending news

Hawk, 54, said in a tweet on Friday that he will donate half of the proceeds of autograph photo cards of himself and BMX rider Rick Thorne to a memorial fund for Nichols, 29, who died Jan. 10.

“My proceeds from these will go to the Tyre Nichols Memorial Fund, which includes plans to build a public skatepark in his honor; as our worlds continue to grieve his loss,” Hawk tweeted. “He was a talented skater among other admirable traits. Let’s keep his legacy alive.”

The photos can be purchased on Thorne’s website for $30, according to The Associated Press. Only 1,000 copies of the 8x10 photos will be available for sale, according to Thorne’s website.

The proceeds donated to Nichols’ memorial fund will help his family out,” and will “build a memorial skate park in his name, honoring his love for skateboarding.”

Nichols died three days after Memphis police stopped him for what they said was a traffic violation.

On Jan. 27, the Memphis Police Department released more than an hour of video footage showing the deadly confrontation between Nichols and the agency’s officers.

>> To see the unedited video released by Memphis police, click here. Warning: The videos are graphic and contain profanity.

Six officers have been fired since the incident, and five of them have been charged. One other officer has been suspended but has not been identified, according to the AP.

©2023 Cox Media Group