LDF Calls for Transparency in National Guard Killing of Tyrin Johnson

On July 5, 2026, National Guard troops connected to the Memphis Safe Task Force fatally shot and killed Tyrin Johnson, a 20-year-old Black man. Johnson's family has called for footage of the incident to be publicly released.

In response, Legal Defense Fund (LDF) Director of Strategic Initiatives Jin Hee Lee issued the following statement:

"Our hearts go out to Tyrin Johnson's family during this difficult time.

"The decision to flood Memphis with military troops and other law enforcement officers is at odds with public safety. Officers connected to the Memphis Safe Task Force have shot and killed at least three other individuals, alongside a stunning array of complaints of civil rights violations and unwarranted targeting of community members. Memphis a remain at risk of even more law enforcement violence from this Task Force. National Guard troops must be pulled back from Memphis and all other cities in the interest of true public safety.

"We call on the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and any other relevant authorities to conduct a swift, thorough, and transparent investigation into this incident. The family of Tyrin Johnson, and the public, deserve the truth."

LDF recently sent a letter urging state officials to decline the deployment of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C. The letter explains how the deployment undermines the safety of D.C. residents and visitors, and how military interference in domestic affairs is inherently anti-democratic and a threat to people's civil liberties and rights. These concerns apply with equal force in other locations, like Memphis, and are especially acute for Black residents, who too often bear the brunt of police abuse and harassment.

###

Founded in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is the nation's first civil rights law organization. LDF's Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Please note that LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957-although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights.