New video evidence released by prosecutors on Monday provides a clearer look at the immediate aftermath of the Tyrin Johnson Memphis shooting, an incident involving members of the Tennessee National Guard. The footage, which includes body camera recordings and bystander video, captures the final moments of the 20-year-old on a Memphis sidewalk last summer.
The shooting took place in the early hours of July 5, as guard members and local law enforcement responded to reports of gunfire. While the newly released recordings do not capture the exact moment the fatal shot was fired, they show guard members standing over Tyrin Johnson with their service weapons drawn as he lay on the ground. The Shelby County District Attorney's Office published the collection of videos as the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation continues its probe into the use of lethal force.
Key Facts of the Tyrin Johnson Memphis Shooting
- Date and Time: July 5 at approximately 4:00 a.m.
- Location: A sidewalk in Memphis, Tennessee.
- Victim: Tyrin Johnson, a 20-year-old father.
- Agencies Involved: Tennessee National Guard and the Memphis Police Department.
- The Weapon: Guard members used M17 handguns during the encounter.
- The Conflict: An autopsy report states Johnson was shot in the back, while guard reports claim he pointed a gun at them.
Visual Evidence From the Scene
The released materials include footage from stationary street cameras, a cellphone, and a Memphis police body camera. The stationary cameras initially captured a figure in dark clothing firing shots through a parking lot toward three pedestrians. In response, two Memphis Police Department officers are seen on their own body cameras running toward the sound of the gunfire, radioing that they were in pursuit of an armed individual.
As the officers approached the scene, the video captures the sound of a single gunshot followed by several more. When the officers reached the sidewalk, they found Tyrin Johnson on his back. At least six guard members were present. The body camera footage shows the guard members training their handguns on Johnson while shouting commands such as "Hands!" and "Turn over!"
During the tense moments after the shooting, a Memphis officer is heard on the recording asking the troops, "Hey, you guys got a medical kit or anything?" The officer then called for an ambulance over the radio. The video also shows one guard member attempting to move a handgun located on the ground before a police officer told him to leave the weapon alone.
Discrepancies Between Reports and Autopsy
A major point of contention in the Tyrin Johnson Memphis shooting is the positioning of the victim when the fatal shot was fired. An official report from the Tennessee National Guard stated that two members of the guard approached Johnson after he "rounded on them and pointed a tan handgun at them." This report claims the guard members fired their M17 handguns in self-defense.
However, an autopsy report provided by the Johnson family tells a different story. The medical examiner found that Johnson died from a single gunshot wound to his back. André C. Wharton, the attorney representing the Johnson family, highlighted this discrepancy, noting that the video does not show the initial encounter or the moments immediately preceding the gunfire.
Wharton stated that a "critical question" for the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is determining exactly what happened in the seconds before the shot was fired. "This investigation must stay focused on the moment the guardsman fired the fatal shot and whether that action was reasonable," Wharton said in a statement.
The Role of the Federal Task Force in Memphis
The guard members involved in the shooting were part of a federal task force established during the Trump administration. This task force was designed to send federal agents and troops into various cities to assist local law enforcement with crime reduction efforts. In Tennessee, Republican Gov. Bill Lee deployed the National Guard to support this initiative.
Records indicate that this specific task force was involved in four fatal shootings in the Memphis area between May and July of last year. Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy has noted that the investigation is ongoing and he has not yet determined if criminal charges will be filed against the guard members involved.
Family Remembers Tyrin Johnson
Before his death, Tyrin Johnson was a young father who was preparing for a future in his family's business. His grandfather, Evaniel Johnson, shared that the 20-year-old was set to help lead the family-owned construction company.
The family's legal team is continuing to seek "critical, objective evidence" to understand the full sequence of events. While the released footage provides a look at the police response and the guard's actions after the shooting, the lack of video showing the actual moment of the shooting remains a central issue in the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Tyrin Johnson bodycam video show?
The video shows the moments after the shooting where Tennessee National Guard members held Tyrin Johnson at gunpoint as he lay on a sidewalk. It also captures a Memphis police officer asking for a medical kit and another officer telling a guard member not to touch a weapon on the ground.
Where was Tyrin Johnson shot?
An autopsy report shared by the family indicates that Johnson was shot once in the back. This contradicts the initial guard report which claimed he was facing the troops and pointing a handgun at them when they opened fire.
Who is investigating the shooting of Tyrin Johnson?
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is currently investigating the incident. Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy will eventually decide whether to file charges against the guard members based on the findings of the probe.