SHELBY COUNTY, TN — In the interest of public transparency, the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office has released available surveillance footage from the May 13 officer-involved shooting that took the life of 41-year-old Darrin Pigram. The incident occurred inside a Frayser Burger King while law enforcement officers were attempting to serve an arrest warrant.

The video release follows an official announcement earlier in the week that no criminal charges will be filed against the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent assigned to the Memphis Safe Task Force who fired the fatal shots.

UPDATE: The technical issue affecting access to the video playback has been fully resolved. Readers who were previously unable to view the footage can now access the media files provided below.

The Decision: Legally Justified

Following a review of the investigation conducted by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), District Attorney Steve Mulroy’s office concluded that the agent’s use of deadly force was legally justified under Tennessee law, determining there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction.

According to official reports, task force agents entered the restaurant on North Hollywood Street during the morning shift to execute a warrant for aggravated assault, aggravated burglary, and employing a firearm in the commission of a felony. Officers stated that Pigram, an employee at the location, produced and reached for a firearm in his waistband during the encounter, prompting the agent to fire.

The District Attorney's Office confirmed that no body-worn camera footage from the involved task force agents was available. The released footage consists entirely of stationary, in-store surveillance camera angles collected during the TBI investigation.

Family Notification and Ongoing Questions

Prior to releasing the footage to the public, representatives from the District Attorney’s Office met privately with Darrin Pigram’s family to view the video together. A subsequent meeting was held with the family’s legal counsel, Attorney Andre Wharton, to notify them of the public release.

While prosecutors determined the shooting was legally justified, the Pigram family and their legal counsel have expressed disappointment with the declination, noting that stationary camera angles and equipment obstructions leave visual gaps during crucial seconds of the interaction.

The DA’s office maintains that the public release of all available collected footage is a crucial step in maintaining transparency with the Shelby County community regarding fatal law enforcement encounters.

For additional context on the District Attorney's official declination, watch DA Mulroy's statement clearing the task force officers, which outlines the legal framework and findings of the TBI investigation.