Bodycam footage shows National Guard pointing guns at dying Memphis man

Tennessee National Guard troops aimed their service weapons at a man lying on a Memphis sidewalk while he was still breathing, according to body camera footage released Monday by Shelby County prosecutors. The video captures the moments immediately following a July 5 shooting in which Tyrin Johnson, 20, died from a single gunshot wound to the back.

The release occurs as the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation continues its review of the incident. District Attorney Steve Mulroy stated he has not yet determined whether to file charges against the guard members. The footage includes views from a police officer’s camera, stationary street cameras, and a bystander’s cellphone.

The timeline of the event began around 4 a.m. when authorities responded to reports of gunshots. Memphis police officers heard the initial gunfire and began pursuing an armed man running on foot. Two National Guard members, part of a federal task force deployed by President Donald Trump, left their vehicle to approach the suspect. A guard report obtained via public records records claims Johnson “rounded on them and pointed a tan handgun at them,” prompting both guards to fire their M17 handguns.

The newly released video does not show the initial encounter or the moment the shots were fired. However, it provides a clear view of the aftermath. Police body camera footage shows at least six guard members at the scene. They are seen shouting “Hands!” and “Turn over!” while pointing their guns at Johnson, who lay on his back. One guard moved a handgun lying on the ground until a police officer instructed him to stop. Another guard began cutting off Johnson’s shirt before the video ended.

Investigators say Johnson died at the scene. An autopsy report shared by his family indicated the fatal wound was to his back. This finding conflicts with earlier accounts from police and the National Guard, which stated Johnson was facing the troops with a gun when they fired. The discrepancy has become a central point of contention in the case.

The guard members were operating under a federal task force created to support efforts in Democrat-run cities. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee deployed the Guard to assist the effort. Between May and July, the task force was involved in four fatal shootings. Johnson was the father of a young child and was preparing to help lead a family construction business, according to his grandfather, Evaniel Johnson.

André C. Wharton, an attorney for the family, noted that the missing footage of the actual shooting is critical. “This investigation must stay focused on the moment the guardsman fired the fatal shot and whether that action was reasonable,” Wharton said. Ed Yarbrough, the attorney for the two guard members, said they have no comment at this time. A spokesperson for the Tennessee National Guard did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office released the materials to provide the public with visual evidence of the scene. The investigation remains active, with the Bureau of Investigation continuing to examine the sequence of events that led to Johnson’s death.