A Black Man Was Fatally Shot by National Guard Troops in Memphis, Now His Family Demands Answers

Tyrin Johnson was a 20-year-old Black man with plans for the future. The young father and student was preparing to join his family’s construction business. Now, instead of watching him grow into those plans, his family is searching for answers about the moments that led to his death at the hands of National Guard officers.

Johnson was killed early Sunday (July 5) after a shooting involving Tennessee National Guard members and Memphis police, according to The Associated Press. Now, Johnson’s family is demanding full transparency from investigators, including the release of the footage of the incident.

“Show me the video,” Evaniel Johnson, the victim’s grandfather, told The Associated Press.

Authorities said officers and guardsmen responded to reports of gunfire when they encountered Johnson, who was allegedly armed and running from the scene. According to Fox 13 Memphis, Johnson turned toward the officers with a gun at one point during the chase, prompting two National Guard members to open fire, police say. He died at the scene.

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However, the authorities’ explanation has not answered the questions that remain for Johnson’s family. Evaniel wants to see video footage to understand what happened in the seconds before his grandson was shot.

“Please show me that — and then I’m OK,” he continued to AP News. “Until you show me that, I’m gonna fight and advocate for my grandson until there’s no breath in me.”

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is reviewing Johnson’s case as the city continues to debate the role of National Guard troops participating in local crime prevention.

The city’s Democratic mayor, Paul Young, called the shooting an “unfortunate incident,” adding that he would wait for the state investigation to be completed before making a conclusion, according to AP News.

Johnson’s death marks the first at the hands of Guard officers who were sent to Memphis amid concerns of high crime. President Donald Trump has deployed more than 1,000 Guard soldiers to the city’s Safe Task Force since last fall, according to the Tennessee Lookout. The Guard’s presence remains active across several Democratic cities, like Minneapolis and Washington, D.C.

In Memphis, Johnson’s death has shaken his community.

The family challenged the account that Johnson posed a threat, saying he carried a firearm for protection after previous assaults. The 20-year-old’s grandfather, who previously worked as a correctional officer, insisted that Johnson was “no hoodlum.”

He added, “His future was buying homes, living life, taking care of his little baby. He had a future. It’s gone now.”