Tennessee national guard trained guns on dying man after guard member shot him, video shows
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- Tennessee National Guard troops in Memphis trained their handguns on Tyrin Johnson as he lay dying on a sidewalk after being shot in the back by a guard member, according to video released by prosecutors.
- Johnson, 20, was armed and died at the scene from a single gunshot wound; however, an autopsy contradicted official accounts by confirming he was shot in the back, not facing the guards.
- The footage does not show the initial encounter or the shooting itself, and the investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is ongoing, with no charges yet filed.
- The guard members were part of a federal task force deployed to support local police in response to crime, a controversial initiative started under former President Trump and supported by Tennessee’s Republican governor.
- Johnson’s family attorney emphasized focusing on whether the guardsman’s use of deadly force was reasonable, while family members highlighted Johnson’s role as a father and prospective leader of the family business.
