Tennessee National Guard Members Kill Armed Man During Memphis Anti-Crime Patrol

Two Tennessee National Guard soldiers, part of a Trump-backed anti-crime task force, fatally shot 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson during a foot pursuit in Memphis. Authorities say Johnson turned toward them with a handgun. The incident, now under investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, highlights tensions over the federal deployment, which has led to over 10,000 arrests but is opposed by the city's mayor.

National Guard shooting incident

• ▪The shooting occurred after Memphis police, responding to reports of gunshots around 4 a.m., pursued Johnson on foot.
• ▪Johnson died at the scene after two National Guard medical specialists attempted to provide first aid.
• ▪Two Tennessee National Guard members fatally shot 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson in downtown Memphis on Sunday.
• ▪Authorities stated that Johnson turned toward the soldiers with a handgun before they opened fire.

Memphis Safe Task Force deployment

• ▪Federal troops have been patrolling Memphis since October, an action opposed by the city's Democratic Mayor, Paul Young.
• ▪The task force was created by President Donald Trump to fight violent crime in several Democratic-led U.S. cities.
• ▪Tennessee's Republican Governor, Bill Lee, had deployed the National Guard to support the federal effort.
• ▪An April Tennessee Court of Appeals ruling found that local Democratic officials lacked standing to block the federal troop deployment in Memphis.
• ▪The soldiers involved were part of the Memphis Safe Task Force, a partnership of federal agents, National Guard troops, and local police.

Victim background

• ▪Evaniel Johnson also stated his grandson was preparing to join the family construction business and was passionate about making music.
• ▪The victim's grandfather, Evaniel Johnson, said his grandson had attended Tennessee State University and was the father of a young child.

Official responses

• ▪Memphis Mayor Paul Young described the shooting as an "unfortunate incident" and is awaiting the TBI investigation's results.
• ▪The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) is investigating the shooting at the request of the Shelby County district attorney.
• ▪President Trump and senior officials visited Memphis in March to praise the task force operation, which he has credited with reducing violent crime.

Task force enforcement record

• ▪According to TBI data, there have been at least four officer-involved shootings linked to the task force.
• ▪The U.S. Marshals Service reported in June that the Memphis Safe Task Force has led to more than 10,000 arrests.

Memphis crime trends

• ▪Both Democratic and Republican officials noted decreases in some Memphis crime categories last year, paralleling national trends.
• ▪For years, Memphis has experienced high rates of violent crime, including assaults, carjackings, and homicides.

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