An autopsy report indicates that members of the Tennessee National Guard fatally shot a 20-year-old armed man in the back, contradicting official accounts that stated the man was facing the troops when they opened fire. The guardsmen were part of the Memphis Safe Task Force, a unit created under President Donald Trump's initiative to deploy troops and federal agents to cities experiencing high crime rates.
The incident occurred in the early morning hours after the Fourth of July holiday in Memphis. Authorities had stated that Tyrin Johnson turned toward guard members with a gun while fleeing from them, prompting the fatal shooting. However, the autopsy, performed by the West Tennessee Regional Forensic Center, found a single bullet entered the right side of Johnson's back and exited through his upper right chest.
Dr. Steven White, a forensic pathologist who reviewed the autopsy report for the Associated Press, noted that the bullet's slightly upward trajectory would be consistent with Johnson running away from the shooter. The autopsy also revealed no soot, gunpowder stippling, or muzzle imprint around the wound, suggesting the shot was likely fired from more than three feet away.
Evaniel Johnson, the victim's grandfather, questioned the justification for shooting his grandson in the back, stating that if the individual posed no threat, there was no reason to kill him. "Be transparent — you shot him in the back," he said. "I just want to make sure somebody be responsible for what happened. Some accountability."
According to a Tennessee National Guard report, two Guard members responded to a Memphis police radio call about shots fired. The report stated that as they approached the suspect, he "rounded on them and pointed a tan handgun at them," leading both troops to fire their M17 handguns. Memphis police arrived shortly after.
An investigative narrative within the autopsy report, based on an account from a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent, also states Johnson was turning toward law enforcement with a gun. It noted that officers saw him draw a firearm before they shot him once in the chest.
Andre Wharton, an attorney for the Johnson family, pointed out the inconsistency between law enforcement reports and the autopsy findings of a single bullet wound in the back. "I just see some kind of blatant inconsistency there, in terms of what law enforcement reports," Wharton said. "The versions don't seem to match."
The manner of death was listed as "homicide," a classification used when a death is caused by another person's actions, though it does not imply intent or carry legal weight. No criminal charges have been filed to date. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation stated the investigation is ongoing and referred inquiries to the medical examiner's office.
The autopsy report indicated Johnson was carrying a "handgun magazine with rounds." His family's attorney noted that carrying ammunition was not illegal in Tennessee. The family has requested to see surveillance video or other evidence that Johnson was pointing a weapon at the guard members, stating they have not been shown any footage of the moments leading up to the shooting.
The Memphis Safe Task Force has been involved in four fatal shootings between May and July. President Trump's decision to deploy the Tennessee National Guard to Memphis to combat crime was met with mixed reactions and faced a lawsuit, though it did not lead to widespread protests.