Bodycam footage shows Tennessee National Guard members pointing guns at dying man in Memphis

County prosecutors in Shelby County released body-camera and other video footage from July 5 that shows Tennessee National Guard members pointing their M17 handguns at a man lying on a sidewalk in Memphis after he was shot in the back. A Memphis police officer can be heard asking the troops for a medical kit and calling for an ambulance.

The videos, which also include street-camera and bystander cellphone recordings, were provided as the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation continues its probe into the shooting of 20-year-old Tyrion Johnson. An autopsy report obtained by Johnson’s family indicates the victim was shot from behind, contradicting earlier statements from police and Guard officials that he faced the guards when fired upon. The footage does not capture the initial encounter or the moment the fatal shot was fired.

According to a National Guard report obtained through a public-records request, two Guard members responded to a police radio call about gunshots, left their vehicle, and were approached by the suspect, who allegedly pointed a handgun at them. Both Guard members then discharged their weapons. Police body-camera video shows the Guard members shouting commands such as “Hands!” and “Turn over!” while pointing guns at the man on the sidewalk.

District Attorney Steve Mulroy said a decision on possible charges has not yet been made. A spokesperson for the Tennessee National Guard did not respond to requests for comment, and the Guard members’ attorney declined to comment. Johnson’s family attorney, André C. Wharton, emphasized that the investigation should focus on the moment the Guard member fired the fatal shot and whether that action was justified.

Johnson was the father of a young child and was involved in his family’s construction business, according to his grandfather. After the shooting, at least six Guard members remained at the scene, with one moving a handgun on the ground until a police officer instructed him to stop. The officer then called for an ambulance as a Guard member began to cut off the victim’s shirt.