A 20-year-old man was fatally shot by two members of the Tennessee National Guard early Sunday morning in Memphis after investigators say he was found armed with a handgun during an encounter tied to an ongoing police pursuit.
The shooting is now under investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, which released preliminary details about the incident involving National Guard personnel assigned to President Donald Trump’s Memphis Safe Task Force.
According to investigators, the shooting occurred at approximately 4:00 a.m. ET near the intersection of Ida B. Wells Avenue and Union Avenue in downtown Memphis.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said Memphis police officers had been pursuing an armed suspect on foot before the deadly encounter unfolded.
“Preliminary information indicates the shooting happened at approximately 4:00 AM ET near the intersection of Ida B. Wells Avenue and Union Avenue,” the agency said in a statement.
Investigators identified the man as 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson.
According to the bureau, Memphis police had been engaged in a foot pursuit of Johnson, who was armed with a handgun and had reportedly fired shots in the area before the confrontation with National Guard personnel.
“Memphis police officers had been engaged in a foot pursuit of a man armed with a handgun, identified as 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson, who reportedly fired shots in the area,” the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said.
The two National Guard members involved in the shooting were serving as part of President Trump’s Memphis Safe Task Force, a security initiative deployed by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee to assist with public safety efforts in the city.
Following the shooting, National Guard personnel immediately attempted to provide emergency medical care.
Lt. Col. Darrin Haas, a spokesperson for the Tennessee National Guard, told The Associated Press that two National Guard medical specialists rendered first aid after the shooting.
Despite those efforts, Johnson died.
According to The Associated Press, Johnson’s cousin, Terracle Nelson, said authorities informed the family that the 20-year-old had been shot twice in the chest.
No additional details regarding the moments leading up to the shooting or the actions of the National Guard members have been released by investigators.
The Tennessee National Guard first began patrolling Memphis in October as part of broader public safety efforts.
The deployment came as officials continued working to address violent crime in the city.
Federal crime statistics cited in the report show Memphis recorded 40.6 homicides per 100,000 residents last year.
The city also experienced 2,501 violent crimes per 100,000 people, according to FBI data.
At the same time, local leaders have said those figures reflect an overall decline in violent crime during the past two years.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation continues to examine the circumstances surrounding Sunday’s shooting as authorities work to determine exactly what occurred during the encounter.
The investigation remains ongoing, and officials have not released additional information beyond the preliminary findings detailing the foot pursuit, the reported presence of a handgun, and the involvement of National Guard personnel assigned to the Memphis Safe Task Force. The incident marks another high-profile use of force involving National Guard members participating in the security initiative that has been operating in Memphis since last fall.
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