NewsSTAND · Local & National News · November 2, 2026
Shot in the Back: Why the Silence Around Tyrin Johnson’s Death Matters to Memphis
Video released in Tyrin Johnson’s death raises hard questions for Memphis. JR Robinson breaks down what we are seeing.
Shot in the Back: Why the Silence Around Tyrin Johnson’s Death Matters to Memphis
Video released in Tyrin Johnson’s death case raises hard questions for Memphis. JR Robinson breaks down what we are seeing.
By JR Robinson
CEO / CTO / Co-Founder, JustMy
Look, I’m not here to spin talking points or feed into whatever narrative makes city hall or the Statehouse sleep better at night. If you follow JustMy, you know we believe in communities telling their own truths—unfiltered, raw, and accountable.
On July 5, shots rang out in the downtown entertainment district. Chaos ensued. Memphis Police spotted 22-year-old Tyrin Johnson ducking and weaving with a weapon, running from the gunfire. When officers called out to him, he bolted. MPD chased him. Then members of the National Guard joined the pursuit.
Moments later, on Union Avenue, National Guard members fired. Tyrin Johnson collapsed and died on the pavement.
The medical examiner’s report leaves no room for ambiguity: the bullet entered Tyrin Johnson’s back and exited his chest.
He was running away.
Today, Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy released the footage to the public. The DA’s office says releasing it now won’t compromise the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s ongoing probe. They claim it’s about transparency. But true transparency isn’t just dumping difficult footage into the public domain months later—it’s demanding straight answers to fundamental questions:
Why were National Guard members firing their weapons at a fleeing man in our downtown streets?
What rules of engagement governed military personnel deployed in a civilian entertainment zone?
When did running away with a weapon justify being shot from behind?
No charges have been filed. The TBI investigation is still "nearing completion." But you can’t look at an entry wound in a man’s back and pretend this is standard procedure. Memphis deserves public safety, yes—but we cannot confuse safety with militarized authority operating without restraint.
Watch the footage with your own eyes. Demand real accountability, not bureaucratic patience. We owe that much to Tyrin Johnson’s family, and we owe it to the soul of this city.
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