Black Man Shot And Killed By National Guard Members In Memphis

On Sunday morning, two Tennessee National Guard members were involved in the fatal shooting of a Black man in Memphis, who, according to law enforcement, was armed and turned towards the Guard members with a firearm in his hands. It’s a familiar tale that usually involves actual police officers, not military personnel.

According to Fox 13, 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson was shot by the pair of Guard members while they were in pursuit of him, following a 911 call regarding shots fired in the area. According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), which is investigating the shooting, Memphis police reported that officers responded to reports of shots fired in the area near Ida B. Wells Avenue just before 4 a.m. and encountered several people leaving the scene, one of whom was carrying a handgun. Memphis Police officers and Tennessee National Guard military police pursued the man, later identified as Johnson, as he fled.

From Fox 13:

Witnesses described a chaotic scene unfolding in the predawn hours.

“We pulled up, walked to the end of the street, then we heard gunshots. People take off running,” said witness Stevin Gilliam.

The TBI said Johnson turned toward National Guard personnel while armed during the pursuit. Two National Guard soldiers then opened fire, killing him. Authorities said no officers or Guardsmen were injured.

As investigators continued processing the scene, Johnson’s family arrived downtown.

“We come from a big family, so you know, family is a big deal,” Stevin Gilliam said. “Just watching the mama get the news, that’s definitely — because I wouldn’t want my mama to get the news like that.”

Another witness, Deshawn Gilliam, said the incident was difficult to comprehend.

“It’s really very, very surreal to me,” he said.

“It really is becoming normal,” Deshawn Gilliam continued. “And it is sad to say it, but it really is becoming a normal thing.”

Then there’s the question about why the National Guard members were there in the first place.

According to CNN, they were assigned to a crime-fighting patrol in Memphis as part of a federal task force in the city created by President Donald Trump, who, last year, was blocked from deploying National Guard troops to the city by federal judge, just as he was blocked from deploying troops into several other Democrat-led cities, most of which have large Black populations. But Tennessee’s Republican governor, Bill Lee, had his state’s National Guard deployed anyway to support the president’s effort.

As for the incident in which Johnson was killed, no other deaths or injuries have been reported.

Johnson’s grandfather, Evaniel Johnson, told CNN his grandson had taken classes at Tennessee State University, was the father of a young child, was planning to help lead the family construction business, and was passionate about making music.

“I believed in him, and I know he still had so much life ahead of him,” he said. “The heartbreaking reality is that he will never have the chance to enjoy what we were building together. That is a pain no grandparent should ever have to endure.”

Johnson’s family members said they want to review findings from investigators and any video of the shooting to get to the truth of what happened. Memphis Mayor Paul Young called the shooting an “unfortunate incident” and said he was waiting to see the results of the TBI investigation as well before commenting any further.

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