Bodycam footage shows National Guard troops aiming guns at dying man in Memphis
County prosecutors released video showing Tennessee National Guard members pointing handguns at Tyrion Johnson after he was shot, while an officer requested medical aid.
County prosecutors in Shelby County released body-camera and other video showing Tennessee National Guard troops aiming their service pistols at a man lying on a Memphis sidewalk after he was shot on July 5. The footage captures a police officer asking the guards, “Hey, you guys got a medical kit or anything?” and later calling for an ambulance.
The videos, which also include stationary-camera and by-stander cellphone recordings, were released as the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation continues its probe into the shooting of 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson. An autopsy report provided by Johnson’s family indicated he was shot in the back, contradicting earlier statements that he faced the guards with a weapon.
"This investigation must stay focused on the moment the guardsman fired the fatal shot and whether that action was reasonable," said André C. Wharton, attorney for Johnson’s family.
"A critical question is what happened in the immediate moments before Tyrin was shot in the back," Wharton added.
Wharton emphasized the need for an unbiased review of the facts and asked the public to be patient while his team gathers evidence.
According to a Tennessee National Guard report obtained through a public-records request, two guard members responded to a police radio call about gunshots, left their vehicle, and approached the suspect, who allegedly pointed a handgun at them. Both guards fired their M17 pistols, after which Memphis police arrived.
District Attorney Steve Mulroy said he has not yet decided whether to file charges. A spokesperson for the Tennessee National Guard did not respond to requests for comment, and the guards’ attorney declined to comment.
The incident occurred during a federal task force operation that Governor Bill Lee deployed, a program initiated by President Donald Trump to send troops and federal agents to cities experiencing high crime rates. The task force has been linked to four fatal shootings between May and July.