Autopsy Says National Guard Killed 20-Year-Old Tyrin Johnson With Shot to Back

Q: What hidden surveillance footage could finally reveal the truth about Tyrin Johnson's fatal encounter with the Memphis task force?

The most important missing evidence appears to be surveillance video from the SkyCop cameras overlooking the intersection where Tyrin Johnson was shot. Johnson was killed near Fourth Street and Union Avenue, close to Ida B. Wells Avenue, and family members and community advocates say the encounter happened directly beneath at least one SkyCop camera, with reports indicating as many as three cameras covered the area. They argue that footage from those city-linked cameras could show whether Johnson actually turned toward officers, whether anything was visible in his hands, how far away the shooters were, and whether the National Guard and police account matches the physical evidence from the autopsy. In addition, a community organizer representing Johnson’s family has said multiple videos of the shooting exist and are being enhanced by investigators working with the family. According to that account, the videos show Johnson running down the street while being chased by an unmarked vehicle, then falling after shots are fired, without visible evidence that he turned around. That means the footage most likely to clarify the fatal encounter includes the unreleased SkyCop surveillance recordings from the scene, along with any nearby private or city camera video and any task-force video evidence such as dash or body camera recordings, if they exist. So far, authorities have not publicly released that footage, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says the case remains open.

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Aug 28

An autopsy released this week found Tyrin Johnson, 20, was shot in the back by National Guard troops in Memphis in July, contradicting the official account of the encounter.
Police had said Johnson was shot once in the chest after turning toward officers and pulling a gun during a July 5 foot chase tied to reports of gunfire.
The medical examiner said the bullet entered Johnson’s back and exited through his right upper chest, with no soot or muzzle imprint indicating it was not fired at close range.
The report ruled the death a homicide, and Johnson’s family lawyer said the findings deepened concerns about the Memphis Safe Task Force operation.
Johnson was one of at least four people killed in altercations involving law enforcement working with the federally backed Memphis Safe Task Force.