National Guard Members Fatally Shoot Suspect During Chase in Memphis

WHO:

AP News - Tyrin Johnson's grandfather, Evaniel Johnson, stated that Johnson was taking classes at Tennessee State University and was preparing to help lead the family construction business.

AP News - Tyrin Johnson's cousin, Terracle Nelson, stated that Johnson was living in Nashville and had just had his first child earlier in the year.

CNN - Tyrin Johnson's grandfather, Evaniel Johnson, stated that Tyrin was preparing to help lead the family construction business and was passionate about making music.

AP News - Tyrin Johnson's older cousin, Terracle Nelson, stated he was “as good a boy as can be” and mentioned Johnson had just had his first child earlier in the year.

ABC News - Tennessee National Guard members were involved in the incident.

NPR - The man shot was identified as 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson.

NPR - The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) is conducting the investigation.

NPR - Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy requested the TBI investigation.

NPR - Republican Gov. Bill Lee is in command of the National Guard troops.

WHAT:

AP News - Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene after two National Guard medical specialists attempted first aid.

AP News - Johnson was reported to have been shot twice in the chest, according to his cousin, Terracle Nelson.

AP News - The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation reported that there have been at least four officer-involved shootings tied to the Memphis Safe Task Force, with two of those shootings occurring in May and not involving National Guard members discharging their weapons.

AP News - The Memphis Safe Task Force has led to more than 10,000 arrests, as reported by the U.S. Marshals Service in June.

AP News - The deployments of federal troops in Memphis are expected to cost taxpayers more than $1 billion this year, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

AP News - Two National Guard medical specialists attempted first aid on Tyrin Johnson after he was shot.

AP News - Johnson was reported to have been shot twice in the chest, according to his cousin, Terracle Nelson.

AP News - The Memphis Safe Task Force, part of the federal initiative, has led to more than 10,000 arrests as reported in June.

ABC News - National Guard members fatally shot a man during a pursuit.

NY Post - The soldiers shot and killed a gunman during a foot chase.

NPR - The man was armed with a handgun and was pronounced dead at the scene.

NPR - No law enforcement officers were hurt in the incident.

NPR - The TBI is investigating the shooting at the request of the local district attorney.

WHERE:

ABC News - The incident occurred in downtown Memphis.

NPR - Memphis police were responding to calls of shots fired in downtown Memphis.

WHEN:

NY Post - The incident occurred around 4 a.m. local time.

NPR - The National Guard has been patrolling in Memphis since October of the previous year.

WHY:

AP News - A pending federal lawsuit filed by four Memphis residents seeks to block the federal task force from applying a law that restricts residents from approaching within 25 feet of law enforcement officers to record their activities.

AP News - The deployments of federal troops in Memphis are expected to cost taxpayers more than $1 billion this year, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

NPR - The National Guard was deployed as part of a federal task force established by Trump to combat crime in Memphis.

NPR - Memphis has one of the highest violent crime rates in the country, according to FBI data.

NPR - Some local residents welcomed the federal intervention despite a lawsuit from Democratic state and local officials.

HOW:

AP News - The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is collecting evidence and conducting interviews to independently determine the series of events leading to the shooting.

AP News - A judge in Tennessee issued a temporary injunction blocking the deployment of troops, but a state appeals court overturned that injunction in April, allowing the operation to continue.

AP News - The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is collecting evidence and conducting interviews to independently determine the series of events leading to the shooting.

AP News - A judge in Tennessee issued a temporary injunction blocking the deployment of troops, but a state appeals court overturned that injunction in April, allowing the operation to continue.

NPR - The situation escalated when Johnson turned toward National Guard members with his weapon, prompting them to fire.

(UPDATED July 6, 2026 17:49 UTC)

Tyrin Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene after two National Guard medical specialists attempted first aid, with reports indicating he was shot twice in the chest. His grandfather, Evaniel Johnson, shared that Tyrin was taking classes at Tennessee State University and was preparing to help lead the family construction business, while his cousin, Terracle Nelson, noted that he was living in Nashville and had just welcomed his first child earlier in the year. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is currently collecting evidence and conducting interviews to independently determine the series of events that led to the shooting.

(UPDATED July 6, 2026 14:10 UTC)

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has reported at least four officer-involved shootings related to the Memphis Safe Task Force, with two of those incidents occurring in May and not involving National Guard members. This task force has led to over 10,000 arrests, according to the U.S. Marshals Service, while the deployment of federal troops in Memphis is projected to cost taxpayers more than $1 billion this year. A pending federal lawsuit by four Memphis residents aims to block the task force from enforcing a law that restricts residents from approaching within 25 feet of law enforcement officers to record their activities.

(UPDATED July 6, 2026 06:20 UTC)

Tyrin Johnson's grandfather, Evaniel Johnson, shared that Tyrin was preparing to help lead the family construction business and had a passion for making music. After Tyrin was shot twice in the chest, two National Guard medical specialists attempted first aid on him, as confirmed by his cousin, Terracle Nelson. Meanwhile, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is actively collecting evidence and conducting interviews to piece together the events surrounding the shooting.

(UPDATED July 6, 2026 01:28 UTC)

In a tragic turn of events, Tyrin Johnson's older cousin, Terracle Nelson, described him as “as good a boy as can be,” noting that Johnson had just welcomed his first child earlier this year. Meanwhile, the Memphis Safe Task Force, part of a federal initiative, has resulted in over 10,000 arrests as reported last month, while the deployment of federal troops in Memphis is projected to cost taxpayers more than $1 billion this year, according to the Congressional Budget Office. A Tennessee judge initially issued a temporary injunction to block the troop deployment, but that decision was overturned by a state appeals court in April, allowing the operation to proceed.

(UPDATED July 5, 2026 23:20 UTC)

In downtown Memphis, National Guard members fatally shot a 20-year-old man named Tyrin Johnson during a pursuit early in the morning. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is conducting an investigation at the request of Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy, and no law enforcement officers were injured in the incident. The National Guard has been patrolling Memphis since October of the previous year as part of a federal task force established by Trump to address the city's high violent crime rates.