Arizona Cheerleader Arrested After Viral Video Shows Police Shoving, Punching Her
Prosecutors have declined to pursue felony charges against Eryn Bonner, who was charged with misdemeanor offenses following the July incident.
A viral video has captured an Arizona State University cheerleader being pushed to the ground and struck by police officers during an arrest in July. Eryn Bonner, a senior and member of the ASU Stunt team, faces two misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and hindering or interfering with police, according to the Tempe Police Department and ABC15.
The incident occurred on July 19 when officers were arresting another individual. Bonner reportedly reapproached the scene after being told to leave and was heard on video saying, "Let him go, let him go." The footage then shows an officer pushing her to the ground. Tempe police allege that Bonner punched an officer multiple times, leading to the subsequent actions captured in the video, which include an officer restraining her on a bicycle and appearing to strike her.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has chosen not to pursue felony charges against Bonner, and police have indicated they will not resubmit them. The Tempe Police Department stated that an internal investigation into the incident is ongoing, and they are taking all allegations of officer misconduct seriously.
"Consistent with our policies, this incident is currently under administrative review. The video of the incident, along with all other available evidence, will be carefully evaluated as part of that process," a department spokesperson told ABC15.
Bonner's family released a statement expressing their heartbreak and concern over the incident. "There are no words to fully describe the heartbreak of watching our daughter being hurt by someone entrusted to protect and serve our community," the family said. "The hardest thing is seeing the pain and sadness in her eyes that we cannot take away."
The family's attorney, Benjamin Taylor, called the officer's actions "extreme, very excessive and there was no need for double pushes, jumping on top and multiple strikes." Taylor also raised concerns about alleged inappropriate touching by the officer at the end of the video.
Conversely, Josh Logan, founder of Guardian Training and Consulting and a former police officer, suggested that if Bonner did punch the officer, the use of force might be considered within policy. However, he also noted potentially dangerous aspects of the arrest, such as Bonner being thrown onto a bicycle, which contains sharp components. He described the moment as happening in a split second within a chaotic scene.
