Key facts
- An autopsy report indicates Tyrin Johnson, 20, was shot in the back by Tennessee National Guard members.
- Official accounts stated Johnson was facing the troops and turned toward them with a gun.
- The autopsy found a single bullet entered Johnson's back and exited his upper right chest.
- The report suggests the shooting occurred from more than three feet away, with no close-range firing indicators.
- The death has been classified as a 'homicide' by the medical examiner.
- The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's account of the incident contradicts the autopsy findings.
An autopsy report obtained by the Associated Press indicates that Tennessee National Guard members fatally shot a 20-year-old armed man, Tyrin Johnson, in the back, contradicting official accounts. The guard members were part of a federal anti-crime task force in Memphis, a unit created under President Donald Trump.
Authorities had stated that Johnson turned toward the guard members with a gun while fleeing after a call about shots fired. However, the autopsy report, prepared by the West Tennessee regional forensic center, found that a single bullet entered the right side of Johnson's back and exited through his upper right chest. This finding suggests Johnson was running away from the shooters.
Dr. Steven White, a forensic pathologist who reviewed the report, noted the absence of soot, gunpowder stippling, or muzzle imprint around the wound, indicating the shot was likely fired from more than three feet away. Evaniel Johnson, the victim's grandfather and a former correctional officer, expressed disbelief and called for accountability.
An investigative narrative within the autopsy report, based on a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent's account, still states that Johnson drew a firearm toward law enforcement before being shot. However, the family's attorney, Andre Wharton, pointed out the significant inconsistencies between this narrative and the autopsy findings. The manner of death was listed as 'homicide,' a classification typically indicating death by another person's actions, though it does not imply intent or legal culpability. The TBI has stated the investigation is ongoing.