Video Shows Tennessee Guard Aimed Guns at Dying Memphis Man

Tennessee National Guard troops in Memphis trained their handguns on a man as he lay dying on a sidewalk after a guard member shot him in the back, according to video released Monday by Shelby County prosecutors and reported by the Associated Press and The Guardian.

The footage, compiled from a Memphis police officer's body camera, stationary street cameras and a bystander's cellphone, documents the aftermath of the July 5 shooting death of Tyrin Johnson, 20. It does not show the initial encounter between Johnson and the guard members or the moment they fired, according to the Guardian's report on the released video.

What does the newly released video show?

In the body-camera footage, a Memphis police officer can be heard calling for an ambulance after the shooting and then turning to the guard members at the scene.

"Hey, you guys got a medical kit or anything?" the officer asks, according to the video described by the Associated Press.

The clip shows guard members with handguns pointed at Johnson as he lay on the sidewalk, before medical help arrived. Separate footage from fixed street cameras shows a person in dark clothing firing shots through an empty parking lot, part of the sequence of events authorities say led to the confrontation with Johnson.

Who was Tyrin Johnson and how did he die?

Johnson, 20, died at the scene from a single gunshot wound, according to investigators cited by the Associated Press. He was armed at the time, according to the same account.

An autopsy report shared by Johnson's family found that he was shot in the back, a finding that contradicts accounts from police and the National Guard stating he was facing the guard members with a gun when they opened fire, according to the Guardian. The video released Monday does not resolve the discrepancy, since it begins after the shooting occurred.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is continuing to investigate the shooting, according to the Shelby County district attorney's office, which released the video.

Why were National Guard troops in Memphis?

The guard members involved were part of a federal task force created by President Donald Trump, who last year sent troops and federal agents into Democratic-run cities he described as overrun with crime, according to the Associated Press. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, deployed the state's National Guard to support that effort.

Authorities said the troops were responding alongside local police to reports of gunshots at about 4 a.m. when they began pursuing an armed man fleeing on foot, the circumstances that preceded the confrontation with Johnson. The task force was involved in four fatal shootings between May and July, according to the Associated Press.

What have officials and attorneys said?

Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said he has not yet decided whether to file charges in connection with Johnson's death, according to the Associated Press.

A spokesperson for the Tennessee National Guard did not immediately respond to email and phone messages seeking comment, the AP reported. Ed Yarbrough, an attorney representing the two guard members involved, said they have no comment at this time.

Timeline of the case

• July 5, 2026 — Tennessee National Guard troops, assisting Memphis police responding to reports of gunfire around 4 a.m., pursue an armed man fleeing on foot. A guard member shoots Tyrin Johnson, 20, who dies at the scene from a single gunshot wound.
• Undated, after July 5 — Johnson's family releases an autopsy finding he was shot in the back, contradicting police and National Guard accounts.
• Nov. 2, 2026 — Shelby County prosecutors release body camera, stationary camera and bystander cellphone video from the scene. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's inquiry continues.

What to watch

• Whether Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy decides to file charges against the guard members involved.
• Any findings or conclusions from the ongoing Tennessee Bureau of Investigation probe.
• Whether the Tennessee National Guard or the federal task force issues a formal response to the video or the autopsy findings.
• Possible civil action from Johnson's family given the conflict between the autopsy and official accounts.
• Any policy response from Gov. Bill Lee's office regarding the guard's role in the federal task force after four fatal shootings between May and July.