Two Tennessee National Guard soldiers assigned to the Memphis Safe Task Force shot and killed an armed man who was being chased by Memphis police, authorities said. The incident occurred after police responded to a report of shots fired in downtown Memphis and observed a person carrying a handgun.
According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), officers pursued the individual on foot. Two nearby National Guard soldiers - who were part of the task force, a partnership of federal agents, National Guard troops and local police established last year to assist in combating violent crime in Memphis - joined the pursuit.
The TBI identified the person killed as 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson. In a statement, the agency said: "For reasons under investigation, the situation escalated, resulting in two National Guard soldiers firing upon Johnson, striking and killing him." The Memphis Police Department said the suspect turned toward the Guard members with a handgun before they fired.
The shooting has focused attention on the Memphis Safe Task Force, a high-profile federal crime-fighting initiative that the president has publicly supported. The Republican president and senior officials visited Memphis in March to praise the operation, which he has credited with reducing violent crime in the city.
The Tennessee National Guard did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment, according to authorities. The TBI is conducting the investigation into the shooting at the request of the Shelby County district attorney.
The facts released so far are limited to official statements about the pursuit, the involvement of two Guard soldiers in the foot chase, the identification of the deceased as Tyrin Johnson, and confirmation that the TBI is probing the circumstances at the district attorney's request. No additional commentary or conclusions have been provided by the TBI, the Tennessee National Guard or local prosecutors in the public statements referenced by authorities.
Context note: The Memphis Safe Task Force is a cooperative effort launched last year that groups federal agents, National Guard personnel and local law enforcement to address violent crime. Officials have cited the initiative as a key part of recent enforcement activity in the city.