Memphis Shooting: Video Shows Guard Aiming at Dying Man

Six National Guard members stood over a dying man with their handguns trained on him, according to video released Monday by Shelby County prosecutors. The footage captures the moments following the shooting of Tyrin Johnson, who lay on a Memphis sidewalk in July.

The incident occurred around 4 a.m. on July 5. Authorities said troops were responding to reports of gunshots with local police. They began pursuing an armed man fleeing on foot. Street cameras show a person in dark clothing firing shots through an empty parking lot at three people walking on the sidewalk. Two Memphis police officers heard the noise and ran toward the source, according to body camera footage.

The video captures yelling and the sound of a single gunshot, followed by several additional shots. The National Guard report states that two members left their vehicle and approached the suspect. The report says Johnson turned and pointed a tan handgun at them. Both guards fired their M17 service weapons. Johnson, 20, died at the scene from a single gunshot wound.

Investigators said the wound was in the back. This finding contradicts initial police and Guard accounts that Johnson was facing the troops when they fired. Johnson’s family shared an autopsy report confirming the back wound. The released video does not show the initial encounter or the moment the fatal shot was fired.

In the footage, a police officer calls for an ambulance and asks the troops if they have a medical kit. Guard members shout commands for the man to put his hands up and turn over. One soldier is seen moving a handgun on the ground until an officer tells him to leave it alone. Another guard member begins cutting off Johnson’s shirt as the video ends.

The guard members were part of a federal task force created by President Donald Trump. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee deployed the troops to support the effort in Democratic-run cities. The task force was involved in four fatal shootings between May and July. District Attorney Steve Mulroy has not yet decided whether to file charges.

André C Wharton, an attorney for Johnson’s family, said the investigation must focus on whether the fatal shot was reasonable. Johnson was the father of a young child and was preparing to help lead his family’s construction business, his grandfather Evaniel Johnson said. A spokesperson for the Tennessee National Guard did not respond to requests for comment. Ed Yarbrough, attorney for the two guard members, said they have no comment at this time.