Two National Guard members fatally shot an armed man during a pursuit in Memphis, Tennessee, on Sunday, sparking an investigation.
The Memphis Police Department confirmed that police officers responded to reports of gunshots at 3:56 a.m. on Sunday in the area of Ida B. Wells Avenue and Gayoso Avenue. After arriving at the scene, police officers observed a man armed with a handgun.
The armed male, who has been identified by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) as 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson, fled from the scene on foot. Police officers pursued Johnson with assistance from Tennessee National Guard soldiers deployed as part of the Memphis Safe Task Force.
The Memphis Police Department said that while the National Guard members and police officers were pursuing Johnson, the 20-year-old turned toward the guardsmen with his weapon. The National Guard members responded by firing at Johnson.
The Tennessee Military Department told The Epoch Times that two Tennessee National Guard medical specialists provided first aid immediately after the suspect was shot; however, Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene.
“We are working closely with our law enforcement partners, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations, and will provide additional information as it becomes available,” the Tennessee Department of Military stated.
The TBI said the investigation into the shooting came in response to a request from 30th Judicial District Attorney General Steve Mulroy. Officials confirmed that no law enforcement officers were injured during the confrontation in Memphis.
Tyrin Johnson’s grandfather, Evaniel Johnson, told The Associated Press that the 20-year-old was the father of a young child, had taken classes at Tennessee State University, and was preparing to help lead a family construction business.
“I believed in him, and I know he still had so much life ahead of him,” Johnson 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.”
The Memphis Safe Task Force was formed after President Donald Trump issued a presidential memorandum in September 2025. The task force includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
At the time of the task force’s creation, the White House said Memphis was “suffering from tremendous levels of violent crime that have overwhelmed its local government’s ability to respond effectively.” The White House cited data provided by the FBI, which showed that Memphis had the highest rate of violent crime per capita in 2024.
Gov. Bill Lee (R-Tenn.) deployed National Guard members to provide support to the task force in October 2025.
A temporary injunction was issued against the governor’s deployment of the National Guard last November; however, National Guard members were allowed to remain in Memphis while the state challenged the injunction. The Tennessee Court of Appeals later overturned the injunction, allowing the National Guard to continue supporting the task force.
The task force has also been opposed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which filed a lawsuit alongside four Tennessee residents in May. The lawsuit accused the task force of blocking the residents from filming law enforcement and immigration activities.
