The grandfather of a 20-year-old man fatally shot by Tennessee National Guard troops over the weekend is demanding the release of any video footage of the incident, as questions mount over the use of force by a Trump-administration task force.
“Show me the video,” Evaniel Johnson told The Associated Press. “Please show me that — and then I’m OK. Until you show me that, I’m gonna fight and advocate for my grandson until there’s no breath in me.”
State National Guard members shot and killed Tyrin Johnson around 4 a.m. CDT on Sunday, according to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). Memphis police had been pursuing Johnson, who was carrying a handgun, after he fired shots in the area, the TBI noted. Guard soldiers, assigned to the Memphis Safe Task Force, joined the chase. “For reasons under investigation, the situation escalated, resulting in two National Guard soldiers firing upon Johnson, striking and killing him,” the bureau said. No law enforcement officers were injured.
The task force was created by President Trump in September to crack down on violent crime in Memphis. It includes Tennessee Highway Patrol officers, state Guard troops, and agents from the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, and Drug Enforcement Administration. The Guard, with more than 10,700 soldiers, provides “additional eyes and ears” for the Memphis Police Department, according to the city.
Evaniel Johnson told the AP that his grandson carried a gun for protection after being “jumped” in Nashville recently. He expressed regret that Tyrin went to Memphis for the Fourth of July instead of staying with family in Nashville. “He was down there like all the rest of the people trying to enjoy the Fourth of July,” the grandfather said. “His future was buying homes, living life, taking care of his little baby. He had a future. It’s gone now.”
TBI agents are working to “independently determine” the events leading up to the shooting, including collecting evidence and conducting interviews. The bureau will share its findings with Shelby County District Attorney Steven Mulroy, a Democrat, who will decide whether the officers’ actions were justified.
Miriam Nemeth, executive director of the ACLU of Tennessee, on Monday demanded a full investigation, criticizing what she called a “closed-door ruse that leaves our community in the dark.” She noted that National Guard troops often do not wear body cameras, making citizen documentation critical. “Mr. Johnson’s untimely death shows why Memphians and their camera phones are critical in this moment,” Nemeth said.
Sunday’s incident marks the third known fatal shooting involving officers assigned to the Memphis task force. In May, DEA agents killed 41-year-old Darrin Pigram, who was wanted for aggravated assault and other charges. Later that month, federal agents fatally shot 25-year-old Jonah Neal after he allegedly threatened to harm himself and had multiple weapons in his home.
The shooting has reignited debate over the task force’s operations and transparency, particularly as state and federal authorities continue to investigate. The family’s demand for video footage underscores broader concerns about accountability in police-involved shootings.
