Tennessee National Guard Kills Tyrin Johnson During Memphis Task Force Patrol

Tennessee National Guard soldiers assigned to a Memphis crime task force fatally shot 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson during an early Sunday foot pursuit, according to authorities, adding new scrutiny to the use of troops in city policing.

Police said soldiers and local officers were responding to reports of gunfire around 4 a.m. when Johnson ran from them and turned toward Guard members with a weapon. Two soldiers opened fire, and Johnson died at the scene. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is reviewing the shooting.

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Johnson’s family is demanding the release of video. His grandfather, Evaniel Johnson, told AP he wants to see whether footage supports the official account. Civil rights advocates, Democratic leaders and the ACLU have called for transparency and criticized the task force.

The shooting matters beyond one investigation because it tests how much public accountability follows when National Guard troops are placed inside domestic crime enforcement.

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