A federal task force member shot and killed a man at a Memphis hotel Wednesday while DEA agents served a drug warrant, marking the unit’s second fatal shooting in four days.
U.S. Marshals said agents forced entry after the suspect refused to open the door; an initial release said he pointed a handgun at officers, while the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation later said only that the situation escalated.
The death is the fourth tied to the Memphis Safe Task Force since September, and at least one earlier fatal shooting also involved a DEA agent; TBI is investigating all five shootings involving the unit.
The latest shooting follows Sunday’s killing of 20-year-old Tyrin Johnson during a downtown pursuit, as the Trump-created task force faces growing scrutiny over its use of force in Memphis.