A late-night police encounter in Arizona has sparked backlash online, with many viewers accusing officers of using excessive force against a woman. The video, filmed outside two nightclubs, has spread widely across social media.
The incident happened just before 2 a.m. on July 19 outside the CASA and Sunbar nightclubs on Mill Avenue in Tempe, Arizona, according to court documents cited by ABC15. Three Tempe police officers on bike patrol were arresting two men involved in a fight when 21-year-old Eryn Kelise Bonner allegedly stepped in.
Court records say Bonner tried to pull one of the arrested men away and repeatedly ignored officers’ orders to stay back. The documents also allege that she later approached an officer in a fighting stance and punched him five to six times while he was trying to arrest her.
The officer reportedly suffered minor cuts. Bonner was arrested and charged with interfering with a police investigation, aggravated assault on a first responder, and resisting arrest.
However, the viral video shows otherwise. The footage appears to show Bonner standing on the sidewalk near the officers, shouting at them, though the audio is unclear. She does not appear to be touching anyone before an officer suddenly pushes her hard onto the sidewalk.
After she gets back up, there is a brief struggle, and she is pushed again into the road on the metal bicycles. Several officers then surround her, take her to the ground, and hold her down before handcuffing her, as bystanders react in shock.
Internet Reacts to Arizona Police Confrontation
The clip sparked backlash online, with some viewers accusing officers of racial bias and excessive force. One commenter wrote, “This is false imprisonment and harassment, did anyone get video of these arresting people faces? Are these even official officers. Even real police know better than to act like this.” Another made a similar accusation of brutality: “Typical tough guy cop, goes after a woman and punches her in the face. Cowards!”
A third framed the incident as part of a broader pattern: “Cowardly cops probably will get away with this, and wonder why black people can’t stand them.” Another commenter went further, claiming the officer abandoned his original arrest: “Took his hands off the guy he was arresting just for a chance to beat on a black woman.” A fifth commenter tied the incident to national politics: “This is exactly what Trump said he wanted the police to do when he campaigned the first time.”
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has decided not to prosecute her. According to ABC15, prosecutors said there was no reasonable chance of getting a conviction.
Meanwhile, Tempe Police have started an internal investigation into the incident.
