MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating a deadly shooting involving members of the Memphis Safe Task Force at an East Memphis hotel Wednesday morning.
The shooting happened at the Extended Stay near the intersection of Poplar Avenue and Aaron Brenner Drive, close to the Jewish Community Center.
Memphis Safe Task Force surround East Memphis hotel(WMC)
The Memphis Safe Task Force said their agents were attempting serve a warrant on a wanted man facing felony drug charges out of Shelby County.
The task force said after “numerous verbal commands” to the man to exit the hotel, officers made entry into the building. When officers located the suspect, the man pointed a handgun at agents resulting in agents firing shots at the suspect.
The suspect was rendered aid until medical personnel arrived, however the man died on scene.
The shooting forced the hotel to close for several hours Wednesday. At least one long-term guest said he was blocked from accessing his room.
“Was gonna spend this afternoon and tomorrow packing up all my items, and now I’m in the situation where I don’t even know if I can access my items at the time or if I have a place to stay tonight,” said Luke Freeman, who said he had been staying at the hotel since January. “And being from out of town, that’s kind of a big deal if you don’t have any family or anybody else to go to. So emotions are high once I heard.”
Freeman, who works at International Paper nearby, said he first learned of the shooting through a security alert sent to company employees, not the hotel.
“My first information that I got on this actually came from our security at IP,” Freeman said. “It was pretty close to IP so they sent out a warning to all the employees to kind of just be safe.”
TBI says District Attorney Steve Mulroy requested the agency investigate the shooting.
Memphis Safe Task Force surround East Memphis hotel(WMC)
“The Memphis Safe Task Force will remain in Memphis since dangerous criminals are still on the street,” United States Marshals Service said in a statement. “Attempted violence against law enforcement will never be tolerated. President Trump’s Memphis Safe Task Force has made the city of Memphis safer by arresting criminals, driving down crime, and locating missing children.”
This marks the seventh use-of-force case involving members of the Memphis SAFE Task Force since President Donald Trump launched the group in October 2025. Wednesday’s shooting would be the sixth shooting involving task force members.
Just three days ago, 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson was shot and killed by two Tennessee National Guard soldiers assigned to the task force while responding to a shots-fired call downtown near Ida B. Wells Street and Gayoso Avenue.
Action News 5 spoke with Tennessee Governor Bill Lee on Wednesday about Sunday’s shooting who said he supports a full investigation while also standing behind the Memphis Safe Task Force and the National Guard’s presence in the city.
“I am proud of the work they’ve done. But anytime there is a shooting involving law enforcement or the National Guard, we want to make certain there is a full investigation, and that’s what’s happening,” Lee said.
“I want to let all of the information from the investigation play out before making any remarks. But I will say this. It hurts to lose anybody. And I hate to see anyone lose their life,” Memphis Mayor Paul Young said.
In May, 25-year-old Jonah Neal was shot and killed by task force members after authorities said he was armed and threatening to harm himself.
TBI says all shootings investigations involving the Memphis Safe Task Force are still active and ongoing.
As of Wednesday, the Memphis Safe Task Force says they’ve made 10,848 arrests including:
1,167 gang members1,861 illegally owned firearms removed from the streets155 missing children located5,471 people with warrants arrested841 admin arrests, which include immigration offenses
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