Two members of the Tennessee National Guard shot and killed an armed man early Sunday in Memphis. The man, identified as 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson, was being chased by Memphis police officers when National Guard soldiers joined the pursuit.
According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the situation escalated, resulting in the National Guard soldiers firing upon Johnson, striking and killing him. The Memphis Police Department stated that Johnson turned toward the National Guard members with his weapon, prompting them to discharge their weapons.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is now investigating the fatal shooting at the request of the district attorney general. The deployment of the National Guard to Memphis has sparked ongoing legal challenges, but a state appeals court overturned a temporary injunction in April, allowing the deployment to continue.
