MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Two members of the Tennessee National Guard fatally shot a man during a foot pursuit in downtown Memphis early Sunday morning, authorities reported. The incident unfolded shortly before 4 a.m. local time on July 5, when police responded to a shots-fired call in the area, according to the Memphis Police Department.
Upon arrival, officers observed several individuals leaving the scene and identified a man, later confirmed as 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson, carrying a handgun. Johnson fled on foot, prompting a pursuit involving both police officers and National Guard members who were deployed in the city as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force. The task force was established under the Trump administration to address crime in Memphis and other major cities.
Officials from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation stated that during the pursuit, Johnson turned toward the National Guard members with his weapon. The situation escalated, leading the Guard personnel to fire upon Johnson, resulting in his death. No law enforcement officers were reported injured. Attempts at first aid were made by two Guard medical specialists, but Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Bureau also noted that Johnson had reportedly discharged firearms in the vicinity prior to the pursuit. Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy confirmed the involvement of the two Guard members and called for a state investigation into the shooting.
Public records indicate Johnson did not have a criminal history in Shelby County. However, court documents from Franklin County, Ohio—where he also had an address—show no criminal record, while earlier charges in Tennessee involved traffic-related offenses. In 2023, Johnson pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of improper vehicle lighting and speeding in Davidson County, Tennessee. The following year, he was charged with driving with a suspended license in Wilson County, Tennessee, and a failure-to-appear warrant was issued after he missed a hearing in January 2025. Johnson was arrested again in May 2026 and released on bond pending a hearing scheduled for July 8.
The Tennessee National Guard has been operating in Memphis since October 2025, conducting patrols and supporting law enforcement efforts as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force. While Governor Bill Lee supported the deployment, Memphis Mayor Paul Young opposed it. The presence of the Guard has been the subject of legal challenges by Democratic officials at the local and state levels, including a lawsuit seeking to end the deployment. A temporary injunction requiring Guard withdrawal was initially granted by a Davidson County Chancery Court judge but later overturned by an appellate court, leaving the legal matter unresolved.
This incident marks the fourth shooting involving task force members in Memphis and the third fatal shooting. In May, a Drug Enforcement Administration agent and a Homeland Security Investigations agent separately fatally shot men in two other cases linked to the task force. The Memphis Safe Task Force has yet to issue a comment regarding the latest shooting.