Two Tennessee National Guard members, part of a federal task force in Memphis, fatally shot a man on Sunday. The incident occurred during a downtown pursuit when the man turned toward them with a gun. These Guard members were deployed as part of a federal initiative launched by President Donald Trump, aimed at addressing crime in cities led by Democratic administrations. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee supported the initiative, deploying the Guard for assistance.
The soldiers, coordinating with local police, responded to reports of gunfire at around 4 a.m. They pursued an armed man attempting to flee on foot. When the man faced them with his weapon, the guardsmen fired. Memphis police confirmed this, identifying the deceased as Tyrin Johnson, aged 20. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has initiated a review of the shooting’s circumstances. No officers suffered injuries during the incident.
Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene, despite efforts by two National Guard medical specialists who administered first aid. Lt. Col. Darrin Haas, a Guard spokesperson, provided this information in a statement.
Terracle Nelson, Johnson’s older cousin, mentioned that the family learned he was shot twice in the chest. Authorities did not immediately comment on the number of shots fired, and TBI withheld comments on Nelson’s account. Johnson’s grandfather, Evaniel Johnson, shared that his grandson had been attending classes at Tennessee State University, was a father, and was set to help lead the family’s construction business. Johnson had a passion for music. Evaniel emphasized the need to examine investigators’ findings and any available footage before drawing conclusions.
“I believed in him, and I know he still had so much life ahead of him,” Evaniel said. “The heartbreaking reality is that he will never have the chance to enjoy what we were building together. That is a pain no grandparent should ever have to endure.”
Memphis Mayor Paul Young described the shooting as an “unfortunate incident.” He expressed a desire to await the TBI investigation results before further comments. This was stated in a statement by his spokesperson, Penelope Huston.
Online records checked on Sunday in federal and state courts did not reveal any pending cases against Johnson. Local court records in Memphis and Nashville indicated minor traffic violations against him. Since October, federal troops have patrolled the city, despite objections from Mayor Young, a Democrat. This military presence is part of the Memphis Safe Task Force, convened under Trump and featuring various federal and local agencies. The U.S. Marshals Service reported over 10,000 arrests by the task force as of June.
TBI data shows at least four officer-involved shootings linked to the task force. Two took place in May, unrelated to National Guard firearm use. Another shooting was noted in October, but agency involvement was unspecified. Queries about Sunday’s shooting being the first instance of National Guard firing remained unanswered by TBI and the National Guard.
Memphis, home to over 600,000 people, has long dealt with violent crime, such as assaults, carjackings, and homicides. Both Democratic and Republican leaders reported crime reductions last year, occurring before the deployment and reflecting national trends.
In April, the Tennessee Court of Appeals decided state and local Democratic officials could not halt the temporary federal troop deployment in Memphis.
Brook is a representative of The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. This nonprofit program assigns journalists to local newsrooms to cover underreported topics.
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