ASU student Eryn Bonner charged after altercation with Tempe police

Arizona State University senior Eryn Bonner was charged with two misdemeanors following a July 19 altercation with Tempe police officers on Mill Avenue in downtown Tempe, according to the Tempe Police Department and ABC15. The 21-year-old student and university Stunt Team member was pushed to the ground and restrained on a bicycle during the early morning arrest, sparking an ongoing dispute over police use of force.

Bonner Faces Misdemeanor Charges for Interfering with Police

Bonner faces two misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and hindering or interfering with police, a Tempe Police Department spokesperson stated to The Post. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office declined to pursue felony charges against the student, and police confirmed they would not resubmit the felony allegations. According to Tempe police, officers were arresting a man on Mill Avenue when Bonner reapproached the scene after being instructed to move back. Police alleged that Bonner punched an officer multiple times before officers restrained her.

Attorney Calls Police Force Extreme and Excessive

The complete body-camera and surveillance footage released by the Tempe Police Department has become central to the dispute, showing the officer throwing Bonner onto a bicycle, where an officer appears to strike her before another handcuffs her. Attorney Benjamin Taylor, who represents the Bonner family, called the officer’s actions extreme and excessive, demanding that the officer be fired. This was very extreme, very excessive and there was no need for double pushes, jumping on top and multiple strikes, Taylor said. Taylor also asserted that the officer engaged in concerning conduct at the end of the video, stating that the officer placed a hand on Bonner’s buttocks. Meanwhile, Josh Logan, a former Chandler police officer and founder of Guardian Training and Consulting, told ABC15 that closed-fist facial strikes are within policy if active aggression occurs, though he acknowledged that a bicycle contains dangerous components like cogwheels and chains that risk cutting someone during a chaotic scene.

Family Statement on Public Trust

The Bonner family released a blistering joint statement expressing heartbreak over the incident and calling for accountability from public servants.

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 hardest thing is seeing the pain and sadness in her eyes that we cannot take away.

The Bonner Family

The family maintained that expecting high standards from police officers is essential for maintaining public trust.

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.

The Bonner Family

Tempe Police Keep Incident Under Administrative Review

Tempe police stated that the incident remains under administrative review and that all available evidence will be evaluated.