Paul Young
Role at the time: Memphis mayor, in a statement from his office to NPR
Statement summary
Mayor Young's office said he supports an independent review any time deadly force is used and believes "the facts should guide any conclusions".
“Mayor Young expects those reviews to be completed fully and transparently, and he believes the facts should guide any conclusions”
NPR's first report on the shooting, published July 13, 2026. It includes a first public interview with Neal's mother and grandmother, TBI's response that its investigation was ongoing, and a statement from the Memphis mayor's office.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Why we used this label
Relative to the agent's use of deadly force against Neal, the mayor's office offers no evaluation. It refers the question to independent review and says "the facts should guide any conclusions", which defers judgment rather than defending or condemning the shooting. It is not mixed because it states no conclusion on either side.