Arizona State Cheerleader Charged After Viral Video Shows Confrontation with Police
Eryn Bonner faces misdemeanor charges after allegedly interfering with an arrest, resulting in her being pushed to the ground by an officer.
An Arizona State University cheerleader has been charged with disorderly conduct and hindering police after a confrontation with officers in Tempe, Arizona, on July 19. The incident, captured on viral video, shows officers pushing Eryn Bonner to the ground during the arrest of two men accompanying her.
Bonner, a senior, reportedly suffered bruises to her face during the encounter. The video footage shows one officer shoving her and then pinning her against a police bicycle before placing her under arrest. Bonner could be heard in the video shouting, "Let him go! Let him go!"
Maricopa County prosecutors declined to pursue felony charges against Bonner. Her attorney, Benjamin Taylor, has called for the arresting officer to be fired. The Bonner family released a statement expressing their heartbreak over seeing their daughter "being hurt by someone entrusted to protect and serve our community."
"Expecting public servants to live up to the highest standards of their profession is not an act of animosity toward those who serve with honor," the family's statement continued. "Rather, it is essential to preserving public trust and upholding the integrity and legitimacy of our institutions. We respectfully ask for your prayers and support as our daughter and our family continue to heal."
Surveillance footage from a nearby business indicated that an argument had broken out on the sidewalk involving one of Bonner's companions and a third individual. Police officers on bicycles intervened in the commotion. Authorities stated that Bonner allegedly struck an officer during the arrests of her two friends.