The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office on Monday, November 2, 2026, released video footage showing the aftermath of the July 5 fatal shooting of 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson by Tennessee National Guard members in Memphis. The collection of videos, which include police body camera, stationary street camera, and bystander footage, shows guard members pointing handguns at Johnson as he lay on a sidewalk.
The shooting occurred while National Guard members were serving on a federal task force created by President Donald Trump and supported by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. The task force, which deployed federal agents and troops to several cities to address crime, was involved in four fatal shootings between May and July. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is currently investigating the incident.
According to a Tennessee National Guard report, two guard members responded to a 4 a.m. police radio call regarding gunshots and pursued an armed man on foot. The report stated that Johnson "rounded on them and pointed a tan handgun at them," leading both members to fire their M17 service weapons. However, an autopsy report shared by Johnson's family found he was shot a single time in the back, which the family's attorney, André C. Wharton, says contradicts accounts that Johnson was facing the troops.
The released footage shows at least six guard members at the scene shouting "Hands!" and "Turn over!" at Johnson. A Memphis police officer is heard asking the troops if they have a medical kit before calling for an ambulance. One guard member is seen moving a handgun found on the ground until an officer instructs him to leave it alone. Wharton noted that the videos do not capture the actual shooting or the moments immediately preceding it.
The federal intervention involved troops and agents being sent to multiple cities, with the Memphis task force linked to four fatalities over a three-month period. For the average citizen, this case highlights the level of scrutiny applied when military service members use lethal force against civilians on U.S. soil. The contradiction between the autopsy report and the initial Guard report serves as a focal point for transparency regarding official government accounts in the immediate wake of fatal incidents.
District Attorney Steve Mulroy stated on November 2 that he has not yet decided whether to file charges. As the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation continues its work, the public and the involved parties await a final determination on the legality of the shooting. No specific deadline or court date for this decision has been reported.