--- title: "National Guard soldiers shoot and kill man in Memphis overnight" description: "Authorities are investigating an overnight shooting in which two soldiers fatally killed an armed man after a chase." date: "2026-07-05" modified: "2026-07-05" authors: - name: "Nicholas Slayton" job_title: "Contributing Editor" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/nicholas-slayton/" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/national-guard-memphis-fatal-shooting/" categories: - "Military Branches" - "National Guard" - "News" tags: - "adsafety" --- # National Guard soldiers shoot and kill man in Memphis overnight ![U.S. Army National Guard Military Police, assigned to the Memphis Safe Task Force, survey their surroundings as they conduct a safety patrol of Beale Street in Memphis, Tn., May. 24, 2026. Tennessee National Guardsmen are currently assisting the Memphis Safe Task Force with tasks such as community safety patrols, site security, and traffic control in support of ongoing efforts to reduce crime and promote public safety in Memphis. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Landon Evans)]() *Tennessee National Guard soldiers with the Memphis Safe Task Force patrol Beale Street in Memphis on May. 24, 2026 Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Landon Evans* Two members of the Tennessee National Guard shot and killed an armed man early Sunday in Memphis, law enforcement said. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said today that Memphis police and National Guard soldiers who are in the city as part of a federal task force responded to reports of gunfire just before 4 a.m. Memphis police officers were chasing a man armed with a hand gun. Tennessee National Guard soldiers joined the chase for the armed man, identified as 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson. “For reasons under investigation, the situation escalated, resulting in two National Guard soldiers firing upon Johnson, striking and killing him,” the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation said in its [statement](). The Memphis Police Department [said]() that Johnson “turned toward NG members with his weapon. Tennessee National Guard soldiers discharged their weapons, striking the male. The male was pronounced deceased at the scene.” The bureau is now investigating the fatal shooting at the request of the district attorney general. A spokesperson for the Tennessee National Guard said in a statement that two National Guard medics provided first aid but Johnson died at the scene. "We are working closely with our law enforcement partners, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations, and will provide additional information as it becomes available," the spokesperson said. Downtown Memphis had been hosting large 4th of July celebrations only a few hours earlier. Several hundred Tennessee National Guard troops [deployed]() to Memphis in October 2025, in support of a federal task force [set up]() by President Donald Trump in September. That task force includes a number of federal agencies, including the U.S. Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The troops are operating under Gov. Bill Lee's authority, rather than having been federalized, as troops deployed to Los Angeles last year were. The National Guard is part of the larger Memphis Safe Task Force. The deployment of the military has sparked ongoing legal challenges, including a temporary injunction. However in April a state appeals court [overturned that](), letting the National Guard's deployment continue. ***Update: 7/6/2026;** This article was updated with a statement from the Tennessee National Guard.* ## Author Nicholas Slayton is a contributing editor for Task & Purpose, covering conflict for over 12 years, from the Arab Spring to the war in Ukraine. His previous reporting can be found on the non-profit Aslan Media, The Atlantic, Al Jazeera, The New Republic, The American Prospect, Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, and the Los Angeles Downtown News. You can reach him at nicholas@taskandpurpose.com or find him on Twitter @NSlayton and Bluesky at @nslayton.bsky.social. ### Author social links [Twitter]()