Tyrin Johnson and Darius Chappell

The Justice Department said the Memphis Safe Task Force was established by Presidential Order to support the White House “Restoring Law and Order in Memphis” action.

The Justice Department described 1 October 2025 as the start of the Memphis Safe Task Force operational period used in its federal prosecution statistics.

Four Memphis residents sued U.S. and Tennessee officials, alleging harassment, arrests and physical mistreatment connected to observing and recording Memphis Safe Task Force activity; the allegations were made in a lawsuit and were not adjudicated in the reporting reviewed.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation identified the man killed in the 5 July Memphis shooting as Tyrin Johnson and said it was investigating the circumstances of the shooting.

AP reported that Johnson died at the scene after two National Guard medical specialists attempted first aid.

Evaniel Johnson, Tyrin Johnson's grandfather, called for video evidence to be released and said he wanted to see whether video supported the police account.

A member of the Memphis Safe Task Force fatally shot a man while DEA agents were serving a drug warrant at a Memphis hotel; CBS/AP reported this as the second fatal shooting by a task-force member in four days.

CBS/AP reported differing official descriptions of the 8 July shooting: the U.S. Marshals Service said the man was killed after pointing a handgun at task-force members, while a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation release said the situation escalated for reasons still under investigation and a DEA agent fired into a room.

The Guardian reported that Clarksville police had launched an investigation into deployment of a police dog during Chappell's arrest and had placed an officer on administrative leave.