memphis national guard shooting: 7 facts about the fatal incident and the task force behind it
A Tennessee National Guard-involved shooting in downtown Memphis early Sunday morning has reignited scrutiny of a federal task force created by the Trump administration, which is already facing a legal challenge and has now been connected to its third fatal incident in under a year. Here is what is confirmed about the memphis national guard shooting.
What happened
According to Memphis Police and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, officers responded to a shots-fired call in downtown Memphis just before 4 a.m. Sunday, in the area of Ida B. Wells Avenue and Gayoso Avenue. Officers observed a man, later identified as 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson, carrying a handgun. Johnson fled on foot and was pursued by both Memphis police officers and Tennessee National Guard soldiers assigned to the area as part of an ongoing federal task force.
How the shooting occurred
During the pursuit, police said Johnson “turned toward NG members with his weapon,” at which point two National Guard soldiers fired their weapons, striking him. According to the TBI, “for reasons under investigation, the situation escalated, resulting in two National Guard soldiers firing upon Johnson, striking and killing him.” Two Tennessee National Guard medical specialists provided first aid at the scene, but Johnson was pronounced dead. No law enforcement or Guard personnel were injured in the incident.
Who is investigating
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation, at the specific request of Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy. The TBI said its agents are “working to independently determine the series of events leading to the shooting, including collecting evidence and conducting interviews.”
The task force behind the deployment
The National Guard soldiers involved in the memphis national guard shooting are assigned to the “Memphis Safe Task Force,” a federal crime-fighting initiative established by President Trump that has operated in the city since October 2025. Unlike National Guard deployments in cities such as Los Angeles, Portland, and Chicago, the Memphis deployment operates under the command of Tennessee’s Republican Governor, Bill Lee, rather than direct federal control.
This is reportedly the third fatal incident
According to reporting on the task force’s history, the memphis national guard shooting marks the third fatal incident connected to the Memphis Safe Task Force since its deployment began. The task force’s operations have cost taxpayers more than $1 billion this year, according to available reporting.
The ongoing legal challenge
Democratic state and local officials have sued to block the National Guard deployment in Memphis entirely, arguing that it violates limits within the Tennessee Constitution on when and how a governor can deploy the state’s military forces domestically. A Tennessee judge sided with local officials and issued a temporary injunction against the deployment, though that injunction has since been placed on hold, with the government granted five days to appeal the ruling. The ACLU has also separately challenged the task force’s legal authority.
The crime data context
Memphis has one of the highest violent crime rates in the country, according to FBI data, which has been cited as justification for the task force’s deployment. However, Memphis police data shows that overall crime and violent crime were already declining through 2025, prior to the start of the National Guard’s involvement in the city.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young described the memphis national guard shooting as an “unfortunate incident,” pending the outcome of the TBI’s independent investigation.
Sources: NPR.org, WMC/Action News 5 (wmcactionnews5.com), Yahoo News (via USA Today Network/Commercial Appeal) July 5 to 6, 2026
