Tyre Nichols' parents and man who disarmed Monterey Park gunman invited to Biden's State of the Union

The parents of Tyre Nichols and the man who disarmed the suspected Monterey Park shooter have been invited to attend President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address Feb. 7.

The brutal beating of Nichols by Memphis, Tennessee, police and the mass shooting at a dance hall in Monterey Park, California, this month have renewed calls for policing and gun control measures.

Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, said in an appearance Sunday on MSNBC that Nichols’ parents had accepted his invitation to attend the State of the Union.

“Earlier today, I spoke to the family of Tyre Nichols on behalf of the Congressional Black Caucus to first extend our condolences to them, to let them know that we stand with them, to ask them what they want from us in this moment, to honor the legacy of their son and to extend an invitation to them to be our guest at the State of the Union on February 7 so that we can make sure that this issue of police culture, culture of policing, which, unfortunately in this country, has now contributed to countless deaths,” Horsford said.

Brandon Tsay, who disarmed the Monterey Park shooter at a dance hall in Alhambra, California, minutes after the gunman killed 11 people and wounded at least nine more at the first site, was invited to the State of the Union address by Rep. Judy Chu, D-Calif.

At a medal of courage ceremony by the city of Alhambra on Sunday, Chu said Tsay’s actions were “so amazing” that she invited him to be her guest at the president’s address. But only an hour after she spoke with Tsay, the president himself asked Tsay to be his guest, Chu said.

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSNew AI tool for voters offers a specialized chatbot to explain your ballot

FOR SUBSCRIBERSWhat the rural data center boom looks like, from the people who have lived through it

FOR SUBSCRIBERSInteractive map: How far do you live from the nearest data center?

FOR SUBSCRIBERSiPhone Duo review: The good, bad and the buggy

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAnger over rising prices could be decisive in Alaska’s unusually close Senate race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDOJ weighs election litigation against more states

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP Senate hopeful Ashley Hinson balances standing by Trump and standing up to him in Iowa

FOR SUBSCRIBERSInside the reopened U.S. Embassy in Caracas

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAIPAC shifts tactics amid voter frustration with Israel

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe viral attack ad featuring an estranged mother

FOR SUBSCRIBERSU.S. troops and diplomats evacuating Middle East posts, sources say

FOR SUBSCRIBERSBogus trans youth brochure rattles Texas voters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSWho knew a basket could be sexy? How ‘Wicker’ became fall’s surprise must-see

FOR SUBSCRIBERSExperts explain how an AI kill switch could work

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCalifornia’s billionaire tax faces a mountain of opposition — and not just from the rich

Slide 1 of 1

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSNew AI tool for voters offers a specialized chatbot to explain your ballot

FOR SUBSCRIBERSWhat the rural data center boom looks like, from the people who have lived through it

FOR SUBSCRIBERSInteractive map: How far do you live from the nearest data center?

FOR SUBSCRIBERSiPhone Duo review: The good, bad and the buggy

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAnger over rising prices could be decisive in Alaska’s unusually close Senate race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDOJ weighs election litigation against more states

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP Senate hopeful Ashley Hinson balances standing by Trump and standing up to him in Iowa

FOR SUBSCRIBERSInside the reopened U.S. Embassy in Caracas

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAIPAC shifts tactics amid voter frustration with Israel

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe viral attack ad featuring an estranged mother

FOR SUBSCRIBERSU.S. troops and diplomats evacuating Middle East posts, sources say

FOR SUBSCRIBERSBogus trans youth brochure rattles Texas voters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSWho knew a basket could be sexy? How ‘Wicker’ became fall’s surprise must-see

FOR SUBSCRIBERSExperts explain how an AI kill switch could work

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCalifornia’s billionaire tax faces a mountain of opposition — and not just from the rich

Slide 1 of 1

“I can’t believe you turned me down for the president,” Chu joked to Tsay.

Biden spoke with Nichols’ parents and Tsay in the wake of the tragedies.

On Friday, Biden spoke by phone with Nichols’ mother and stepfather, RowVaughn Wells and Rodney Wells, who were allowed a private viewing of the video showing the brutal beating of Nichols by Memphis police days before it was released last week. Biden expressed his condolences for Nichols’ death and commended the family’s courage and strength, the White House said.

He also said he was “outraged and deeply pained” in response to videos of the beating. In a statement shortly after the videos were released, he called the images “horrific.”

“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,” Biden said.

Man who disarmed Monterey Park shooting suspect honored by city of Alhambra, Calif.

01:09

Biden called Tsay last week to thank him for his act of courage.

“Instead of running, Brandon said he thought he was going to die. But then he thought about the people inside,” Biden said in remarks last week about the recent mass shootings in California that hit the Asian American community. “And in that moment, he follows instinct. And he follows his courage. ... He charged the gunman and wrestled him to the ground and took away a semiautomatic pistol from him.”

Biden aims to use his second State of the Union address to illustrate how legislation passed over the last two years has helped realize key promises he made to voters — especially about the economy — as he gears up for a likely re-election campaign.

The coming address to Congress is still very much a work in progress, aides stressed. But Biden is also likely to address continued threats to democracy and hot-button political issues, such as further gun safety measures and immigration.