Viral video captures Arizona State University cheerleader being shoved to ground, pummeled by cops
A viral video captured an Arizona college cheerleader being violently slammed to the ground and pummeled on top of a bicycle by cops after she allegedly interfered with an arrest.
Arizona State University senior Eryn Bonner was hit with two misdemeanor charges last week in Tempe after a harrowing video captured cops allegedly leaving her covered in bruises during an arrest in July, according to the Tempe Police Department and ABC15.
Bonner, a member of the ASU Stunt team, was seen in the early morning of July 19, reapproaching officers who were arresting another individual after being told to get back.
“Let him go, let him go,” Bonner could be heard screaming before the altercation unfolded.
The college student was then pushed to the ground by a cop, the clip shows.
Tempe police allege that Bonner punched an officer multiple times, the outlet reported.
The clip, including bodycam footage from the arrest, shows the officer then toss her onto a bicycle and restrain her — appearing to punch her before another officer swoops in to cuff her.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has declined to pursue felony charges against Bonner, and cops told the outlet that they would not resubmit the felony charges.
She faces two misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and hindering or interfering with police, a Tempe Police Department spokesperson told The Post.
Her family released a blistering statement to the outlet, stating their daughter had been hurt by “someone entrusted to protect and serve our community.”
“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 Bonner family said.
“The hardest thing is seeing the pain and sadness in her eyes that we cannot take away,” the statement continued. “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.”
“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.”
Attorney Benjamin Taylor, who represents the Bonner family, has since called for the officer to be fired and also accused him of inappropriately touching the student.
“This was very extreme, very excessive and there was no need for double pushes, jumping on top and multiple strikes,” Taylor said. “The city of Tempe would be very vindictive to try to charge her again after they see what this officer did,” Taylor said.
“If you look at the end of the video, there’s some odd touching at the end of the video which is very concerning,” he said. “At the end you see his hand go on her buttocks which is very odd in this situation.”
Josh Logan, a former Chandler police officer, said that if the officer’s account of the college student punching him is true, the use of force is likely justified.
“If you reach that level of active aggression, you’re within policy to perform closed fist strikes to the face,” Logan told the outlet.
Still, Logan, founder of Guardian Training and Consulting, pointed to concerning aspects of the video, including the split-second moment she is thrown onto a bicycle.
“There’s so many dangerous things on that bicycle that can cut and scrape. I have scars from cogwheels to chains and everything in between. It appears that she’s trying to move her off the bike and that happens in a split second in a very chaotic scene, and then they take her into custody and go from there,” Logan said.
The Tempe Police Department told The Post an internal investigation into the incident is underway
Cops said in a separate statement to ABC15 that they are probing the incident and take “every allegation 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,” the department told the outlet.
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