On July 5, a 20-year-old man, Tyrin Johnson, was shot and killed by a Tennessee National Guard member in Memphis. A video released by Shelby County prosecutors depicts Johnson lying on a sidewalk after being shot in the back. National Guard troops surrounded him with handguns trained on his body.
The footage from a Memphis police officer’s body camera captures him calling for an ambulance and asking for medical supplies. This video, along with others from stationary cameras and a bystander’s cellphone, has been released as investigations continue.
Johnson’s family attorney, André C. Wharton, argues that the released videos do not show the immediate events leading up to the shooting, nor the shooting itself. The family claims an autopsy report contradicts law enforcement accounts that Johnson was facing the guard members with a gun.
“This investigation must stay focused on the moment the guardsman fired the fatal shot and whether that action was reasonable,” Wharton stated. “The footage doesn’t capture the full sequence of events, including the active threats Tyrin was reportedly facing.”
The event is under heavy scrutiny as it highlights constitutional protections against unreasonable searches and seizures. Wharton emphasized the need for an unbiased investigation, calling for public patience as more evidence is gathered.
The guard members involved were part of a federal task force deployed by former President Trump to combat crime in certain cities. Tennessee’s Governor Bill Lee supported the initiative. This task force was linked to four fatal shootings between May and July.
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy has yet to decide on pressing charges. No immediate comment was provided by the Tennessee National Guard or the guard members’ attorney, Ed Yarbrough.
Authorities indicated that the incident began around 4 a.m. while responding to gunshots. A suspect, reportedly armed and fleeing, was pursued by Memphis police and National Guard members. Street camera footage shows someone in dark clothing firing at people on a sidewalk, seen by police who then commenced the pursuit.
Blurred police body camera footage records the sounds of yelling and gunfire. A Tennessee National Guard report secured by The Associated Press indicates that guard members responded to the police’s call and fired at Johnson after he reportedly pointed a gun at them.
Further video shows guard members at the scene commanding Johnson to show his hands while pointing their firearms. Johnson, a father and part of a family business, was eventually pronounced dead at the scene. The video ends as a guard member begins to remove his shirt in an attempt to render aid.
Leave a Reply