Video shows Guard aiming guns at man shot in back in Memphis
Prosecutors released new footage of the July 5 death of Tyrin Johnson, revealing a discrepancy between the autopsy findings and the official account of the encounter.
By Carmen Wojcik ·
Six National Guard troops stood over a dying man on a Memphis sidewalk, their service weapons trained on him as he lay on his back. The scene was captured on Monday by body camera video released by Shelby County prosecutors. The footage documents the immediate aftermath of the July 5 shooting that killed Tyrin Johnson, 20.
Investigators determined that Johnson died from a single gunshot wound to the back. This finding contradicts the initial statements from police and the National Guard, who said Johnson was facing the troops with a gun when they opened fire. A Memphis police officer is heard on the recording calling for an ambulance. The officer then asks the soldiers, “Hey, you guys got a medical kit or anything?”
The released videos do not show the moment the shots were fired or the initial confrontation. They include footage from stationary street cameras, a bystander’s cellphone, and the officer’s body camera. The street camera shows a person in dark clothing firing through an empty parking lot at three pedestrians. Two police officers hear the noise and begin running toward the source.
The police body camera captures yelling and the sound of one gunshot, followed by several others. The video is blurry due to the officer’s movement. A Tennessee National Guard report obtained by the Associated Press states that two guard members left their vehicle to approach the suspect. The report claims Johnson “rounded on them and pointed a tan handgun at them.” Both soldiers fired their M17 handguns.
In the aftermath shown in the video, guard members shout “Hands!” and “Turn over!” while pointing their guns at Johnson. One soldier moves a handgun found on the ground until a police officer instructs him to leave it alone. Another soldier begins cutting off Johnson’s shirt as the recording ends.
The soldiers were part of a federal task force created by President Donald Trump. The president sent troops and federal agents to Democrat-run cities that he described as overrun with crime. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee deployed the Guard to support this effort. 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. Ed Yarbrough, the attorney for the two guard members, said they have no comment at this time. A spokesperson for the Tennessee National Guard did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
André C. Wharton, an attorney for Johnson’s family, noted that the videos miss the critical moments before the shooting. “This investigation must stay focused on the moment the guardsman fired the fatal shot and whether that action was reasonable,” Wharton said.
Johnson was the father of a young child. His grandfather, Evaniel Johnson, said his grandson was preparing to help lead the family construction business.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation continues to examine the circumstances of the death. The release of the video comes as the legal team for the family pushes for a detailed review of the soldiers’ actions.
