Autopsy indicates Tennessee National Guard shot 20-year-old Tyrion Johnson in the back

An autopsy performed by the West Tennessee Regional Forensic Center found that a single bullet entered the right side of 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson's back and exited his upper chest, suggesting he was shot while moving away from the shooters. The finding conflicts with a Tennessee National Guard report that said Johnson turned toward the guards and pointed a handgun before being shot.

The guard members were part of the Memphis Safe Task Force, a federal anti-crime initiative created in 2022. According to the guard report, two troops left their vehicle after responding to a police call about shots fired, approached the suspect, and fired their M17 handguns after he allegedly pointed a tan handgun at them.

Dr. Steven White, a certified forensic pathologist who reviewed the autopsy, noted the wound’s upward trajectory and the absence of soot or stippling, indicating the shot was likely fired from a distance of more than three feet.

Family attorney Andre Wharton said the autopsy contradicts the law-enforcement narrative and called the discrepancy “blatant.” The family has requested surveillance footage of the incident, which they say has not been provided.

The death is classified as a homicide by the medical examiner. Tennessee Bureau of Investigation officials have not commented, and no criminal charges have been filed. The investigation remains open and ongoing.