Folks, I’m sipping my coffee and trying to wrap my head around this story. It seems like a situation in Memphis has taken a tragic turn. Two Tennessee National Guard members, who were part of a crime-fighting patrol, fatally shot a man on Sunday. The man, identified as 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson, allegedly turned towards the soldiers with a gun during a downtown pursuit. I mean, you can’t just point a gun at someone, especially not at soldiers, and expect everything to be okay.
The Guard members are part of a federal task force created by President Donald Trump, which was sent to Memphis to combat crime. I’m not sure what’s more surprising, the fact that Trump sent troops to Memphis or that it’s actually led to over 10,000 arrests. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, deployed the Guard to support the effort, and I guess it’s working, albeit with some unfortunate consequences.
Authorities said the soldiers were responding to reports of gunshots when they began pursuing Johnson, who was armed and fleeing on foot. The guardsmen opened fire after Johnson turned towards them with his weapon. It’s a sad situation, and I feel for the family of the young man who lost his life. His grandfather, Evaniel Johnson, said Tyrin was a good kid who was preparing to help lead the family construction business and was passionate about making music.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is looking into the circumstances of the shooting, and I hope they get to the bottom of it. The mayor of Memphis, Paul Young, called the shooting an “unfortunate incident” and is waiting for the results of the investigation before commenting further. I’m sure this is just the beginning of a long and complicated process.
It’s worth noting that federal troops have been patrolling Memphis since October, despite objections from Young, a Democrat. The troops are part of the Memphis Safe Task Force, which has led to a significant number of arrests and the removal of over 1,700 firearms from the city. I’m not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing, but it’s definitely a thing.
The task force has been involved in at least four officer-involved shootings, according to TBI data. Two of those shootings occurred in May and did not involve National Guard members discharging their weapons. I’m starting to think that maybe, just maybe, we should be having a conversation about the role of federal troops in combating crime in cities like Memphis.
For years, Memphis has dealt with high violent crime, including assaults, carjackings, and homicides. Both Democratic and Republican officials have noted decreases in some crime categories, but it’s hard to say whether the deployment of federal troops has had a significant impact. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how this all plays out.
In conclusion, this is a tragic story with no easy answers. A young man lost his life, and a family is left to pick up the pieces. I hope the investigation into the shooting is thorough and transparent, and that we can have a nuanced conversation about the role of federal troops in combating crime. And on a lighter note, I’m glad I didn’t spill my coffee while reading this story, because that would have been a real mess 🙃.
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
