On Friday, the parents of Tyre Nichols spoke with President Joe Biden before the body cam footage was released of their son’s violent, ultimately fatal arrest.

On the call, Biden offered his and his wife’s condolences to Nichols’ parents, RowVaughn Wells and Rodney Wells. Joining the call with Nichols’ parents was Attorney Ben Crump.

Biden, who lost his son Beau to brain cancer in 2015, spoke about his own loss and how he has dealt with it since then.

“I still have the letters and notes that Beau gave me,” Biden said. “When you walk out of the Oval Office, there’s a picture of him – a framed photograph of him with… my oldest granddaughter sitting on his shoulders.”

“And, she has written a letter of application to go to law school, and she talks about her uncle Beau and why she wants to be like him,” Biden continued.

“We got a job for her at a civil rights law firm, Mr. President, your granddaughter,” Crump chimed in.

Biden responded, “By the way, that’s what she wants to do.”

He went on to talk about another of his grandchildren who is working on “environmental stuff.” Biden added that his daughter is raising money for abused women.

Later, Biden began rambling about how he got his start in politics through the Civil Rights movement, getting involved in desegregation.

 

Later that evening, the bodycam footage from Nichols’ arrest and beating was released to the public, sparking outrage across the nation.

After viewing the video, Biden said that he was “outraged and deeply pained.”

 

“Like so many, I was outraged and deeply painted to see the horrific video of the beating that resulted in Tye Nichols’ death,” said Biden in a statement. “It is yet another painful reminder of the profound fear and trauma, the pain, and the exhaustion that Black and Brown Americans experience every single day. My heart goes out to Tyre Nichols’ family and to Americans in Memphis and across the country who are grieving this tremendously painful loss.”

Nichols’ family had urged protestors to remain peaceful after the footage was released, and Biden echoed this plea, saying, “Those who seek justice should not resort to violence or destruction. Violence is never acceptable; it is illegal and destructive. I join Mr. Nichols’ family in calling for peaceful protest.”

Although Nichols’ parents and the White House urged demonstrators to remain peaceful, there were some instances of violence during the protests.

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