National Guard troops fatally shoot a man in downtown Memphis
NPR • • nation
Key Points:
- National Guard troops in Memphis fatally shot 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson early Sunday after he was seen carrying a handgun and reportedly turned toward the soldiers with his weapon during a police pursuit.
- The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) is conducting an independent investigation into the shooting at the request of Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy, collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses.
- The National Guard has been deployed in Memphis since October as part of a federal task force to combat crime, amid Memphis having one of the highest violent crime rates in the U.S., though crime rates were reportedly declining prior to the deployment.
- The deployment has faced legal challenges from Democratic state and local officials who argue it violates the Tennessee Constitution, but a state appeals court allowed the National Guard operation to continue after initially being blocked by a judge.
