Tyrin Johnson, the 20-year-old who was killed by two members of the National Guard during a foot chase in the early hours of July 5, was shot in the back, according to an autopsy obtained by The Commercial Appeal.
The National Guard and Memphis police officers were responding to a shots-fired call in Downtown Memphis, near AutoZone Park. His shooting death is currently under investigation by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
.According to the autopsy, Johnson had a gunshot wound that entered the right side of his back and an exit wound on the upper right side of his chest. There was no gunshot stippling, soot, or muzzle imprint on the wound, indicating he was shot at range.
"With the body in standard anatomic position, the trajectory is back
to front, slightly upward, and rightward," the autopsy said.
The cause of death was a gunshot wound, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide. A death being ruled a homicide does not automatically mean it was a criminal act.
Johnson was running from members of the National Guard when, according to Memphis police and the National Guard, Johnson turned around with a gun in his hand. Two members of the National Guard fired shots, but the autopsy only showed one gunshot wound. Officials have not said if he pointed the gun at the National Guard members.
The personal effects listed in the autopsy report included a "handgun magazine with rounds" but did not list a handgun.
Earlier this month, The CA reported that both members of the National Guard were too young to be Memphis police officers because, at the time of the shooting, one was 19 years old and the other was 20 years old. The Memphis Police Department requires its officers to be 21 years old at the time they graduate the academy.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Lucas Finton covers crime, policing, jails, the courts and criminal justice policy for The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached by phone or email: (901)208-3922 and Lucas.Finton@commercialappeal.com, and followed on X @LucasFinton.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Man killed by National Guard in July was shot in back, autopsy shows
