Tennessee authorities are investigating the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson by two National Guard troops in Memphis early Sunday morning. The incident occurred around 4 a.m. during a foot chase, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).
The National Guard had joined Memphis police following reports that a man was armed with a handgun and had fired shots in the area. Memphis police stated the guardsmen fired after Johnson turned his weapon toward them. The TBI has not provided further details on how the situation escalated but confirmed the bureau is conducting an investigation.
Young, who has expressed skepticism about the National Guard deployment last year, said, "The incident is under investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and we will allow that process to conclude before making additional comments."
Nemeth criticized the deployment, stating, "People who are not from Memphis are coming in, don't know the community, don't have any ties or any accountability to this community, and are just being allowed to exert power in a way that really destabilizes the community and really undermines daily life."
The deployment of National Guard troops to U.S. cities under the Trump administration has come under renewed scrutiny following the shooting. Trump had previously praised Memphis for its crime reduction efforts, saying, "You have now developed a reputation as a city that's coming back stronger than any city in the country because of what's happened with crime and because your political leaders had the courage to do what they did."
Calls have been made for a full, transparent, and independent accounting of the events leading to the use of deadly force by the Tennessee National Guard.
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