MEMPHIS—Two Tennessee National Guard soldiers fatally shot an armed man during a foot pursuit in downtown Memphis early Sunday while assisting police responding to reports of gunfire, and state authorities have opened an investigation into the incident.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) identified the man as 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson. According to the agency, Memphis police officers responded shortly before 4 a.m. to reports of shots fired and encountered an armed man carrying a handgun. Johnson fled on foot, and officers, assisted by National Guard soldiers assigned to the area, pursued him.
The TBI said that, “for reasons under investigation,” the encounter escalated, resulting in two National Guard soldiers firing their weapons and striking Johnson. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No law enforcement personnel were injured.
Memphis police said Johnson turned toward the National Guard members while holding a weapon before the soldiers opened fire. The TBI's initial statement did not include that detail and said investigators are independently determining the sequence of events through evidence collection and witness interviews.
The investigation is being conducted by the TBI at the request of Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy. The agency said its findings will be submitted to the district attorney for review once the investigation is complete.
A National Guard spokesperson said two Guard medics rendered first aid to Johnson after the shooting, but he died at the scene.
The soldiers were assigned to the Memphis Safe Task Force, a crime-fighting deployment operating in the city since late 2025. The patrols have drawn legal and political scrutiny, but remained in place following a state appeals court ruling earlier this year.
Authorities have not released additional details about the shooting, and the investigation remains ongoing.
