State authorities are investigating a fatal shooting in Memphis involving two National Guard troops, an incident that has brought renewed attention to the Trump administration's deployment of military personnel to U.S. cities.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) confirmed that the guardsmen shot and killed 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson around 4 a.m. Sunday. According to the TBI, the National Guard joined Memphis police in response to reports of a man armed with a handgun firing shots in the area. Memphis police stated that the guardsmen fired at Johnson after he turned his weapon toward them.
The TBI has not yet provided further details on how the incident escalated but has confirmed its investigation is ongoing. The Tennessee National Guard has not yet issued a comment.
This shooting occurs as the one-year mark approaches for President Donald Trump's deployment of troops to several American cities. Approximately 1,472 National Guardsmen remain stationed in Memphis, with an additional 120 in New Orleans. The largest deployment, involving about 5,000 Guard troops primarily from Republican-led states, is in Washington, D.C. These troops are operating under Title 32 orders, allowing their governors to control their movements while the federal government covers their pay.
While military personnel are rarely involved in domestic law enforcement, these troops typically perform security, logistics, and support roles rather than direct policing, possessing limited legal authority.
Local lawmakers have expressed dismay over the shooting. Memphis Mayor Paul Young described the incident as "unfortunate" but declined to comment further, stating that the TBI investigation must conclude. Young had previously expressed skepticism about the National Guard's presence in the city.
State Sen. London Lamar, who represents parts of Memphis, called for a swift and transparent investigation by the TBI. She noted that community members are seeking clarity on the National Guard's rules of engagement and expressed that "a lot of people want to know what actually happened to cause the National Guard to use their deadly force."
Miriam R. Namath, executive director of the ACLU of Tennessee, also called for "a full, transparent, and independent accounting of exactly what happened when Tennnessee National Guard troops opened fire on a civilian."
Memphis, a city grappling with high crime rates, has been a focal point for the White House's initiative to combat urban crime, supported by state leadership. President Trump announced the "Memphis Safe Task Force" last September, aiming to indefinitely increase federal, state, and local law enforcement presence. This initiative was backed by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee but faced opposition from local lawmakers. Although a lower court initially blocked the deployment, the Tennessee Court of Appeals later ruled that the lawmakers lacked standing.
Local groups have continued to scrutinize the task force's operations. The ACLU recently filed a lawsuit to block Tennessee's HALO law, which restricts how close bystanders can approach law enforcement activities.
Namath stated that the "Safe Task Force" seemed "more ironic name than ever" following Johnson's death. TBI reports indicate federal agents involved in the task force were also involved in two other fatal shootings in May, which are also under investigation. Namath described these incidents as a "deeply concerning" pattern, suggesting that external personnel without community ties or accountability can destabilize the area.
As of June 10, the task force had reportedly made over 10,000 arrests and seized 1,708 firearms, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. City data shows a nearly 40% reduction in citywide crime and a 35% drop in downtown crime year-over-year. However, it remains unclear how much of this is directly attributable to the National Guard's presence, as troops do not make arrests. An analysis by the Niskanen Center found no impact on violent crime from the National Guard's mission in Washington D.C., though it coincided with a decline in property crimes.
Sen. Lamar pointed out that local authorities did not request the National Guard's presence, attributing the decision to the governor and President Trump. She added, "And so it was sold to everyone that when all of these authorities come into our city, that crime will cease. And unfortunately, crime is still happening."
President Trump, accompanied by then-Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and then-Attorney General Pam Bondi, visited Memphis in late March to highlight the task force's reported successes. Trump had stated at the time that Memphis was developing "a reputation as a city that's coming back stronger than any city in the country" and predicted it would become "a virtually crime-free city" within two months.