Bodycam footage reveals guard members pointing guns at dying Memphis man

Federal troops deployed to Memphis were aiming their service handguns at a man lying on a sidewalk as he died, new video evidence shows. The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office released the footage on Monday as the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation continues its review of the July 5 incident. The visual record captures the immediate aftermath of the shooting that killed Tyrin Johnson, a 20-year-old father who was preparing to help lead his family’s construction business.

The release of these videos comes after a July 5, 2026 incident in which Johnson was killed by two Tennessee National Guard members. Johnson had been armed at the time. Investigators determined he died from a single gunshot wound. An autopsy report provided by Johnson’s family stated the bullet entered his back. This finding conflicts with earlier accounts from police and the Guard, which stated Johnson was facing the troops with a gun when they fired.

The Guard members were part of a federal task force established by President Donald Trump. The President sent troops and federal agents to several Democrat-run cities, describing them as having high crime rates. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee deployed the state Guard to support this federal effort. Between May and July, this task force was involved in four separate fatal shootings.

Authorities stated the troops were responding to reports of gunshots with local police around 4 a.m. They began pursuing an armed man who was fleeing on foot. Stationary street camera footage shows a person in dark clothing firing shots through an empty parking lot at three pedestrians on a sidewalk. Two Memphis police officers heard the gunshots and moved toward the sound. One officer’s body camera captures them running while radioing that they were pursuing a running man with a gun.

The officer’s video is blurry due to movement. It records yelling and one clear gunshot followed by several other firearm sounds. A separate report from the Tennessee National Guard, obtained via a public records request, states that two guard members left their vehicle to approach the suspect. The report claims the suspect turned and pointed a tan handgun at them. Both guard members then fired their M17 service weapons. Memphis police arrived shortly after the exchange.

The released body camera footage shows the scene after the shooting. Guard members are seen shouting “Hands!” and “Turn over!” while pointing their handguns at Johnson, who is lying on his back. A Memphis police officer is heard asking the troops if they have a medical kit. At least six guard members are visible at the scene. One guard is seen moving a handgun on the ground until a police officer instructs him to leave it. Another guard begins cutting off Johnson’s shirt before the video ends.

District Attorney Steve Mulroy said he has not yet decided whether to file charges. Ed Yarbrough, an attorney for the two guard members, said they have no comment at this time. A spokesperson for the Tennessee National Guard did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The videos do not show the initial encounter or the moment the guns were fired.

André C. Wharton, an attorney for Johnson’s family, noted that the investigation must focus on the moment the fatal shot was fired. He argued that the key question is whether the action was reasonable. The family’s attorney pointed out that the footage excludes the critical seconds before the shooting occurred. Johnson’s grandfather, Evaniel Johnson, said his grandson was a father to a young child.

The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office included footage from officer body cameras, stationary street cameras, and a bystander’s cellphone in the release. The investigation remains active under the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. The guard members were on federal detail in Memphis. The task force continued its operations in the city following the release of this video evidence.