ASU senior charged with misdemeanor offenses after July altercation with Tempe police

Eryn Bonner, a senior at Arizona State University, was charged on July 19, 2026 with two misdemeanor offenses after police released video of her intervening in an arrest on Mill Avenue in Tempe.

The footage shows Bonner yelling, “let him go, let him go,” as officers cuffed a suspect. She steps forward, appears to punch and kick an officer, and is then pushed to the ground and restrained on a police bicycle.

“The female is actually striking the police officer with her fists and her legs,” former Chandler officer Josh Logan told KNXV. “If you reach that level of active aggression, you’re within policy to perform closed‑fist strikes to the face.”

Tempe Police Department officials say the video makes clear that Bonner “assaulted police and tried to interfere in the arrest of the street brawler.” The department is conducting an internal review of the incident’s conduct and procedures.

Bonner has been charged with disorderly conduct under state law and hindering or interfering with police under city code. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office declined to pursue felony charges, and an initial misdemeanor charge was dismissed so prosecutors could refile the case with the two current counts.

Attorney Benjamin Taylor, representing Bonner, called for the arresting officer to be fired, describing the force as “very extreme, very excessive, and there was no need for double pushes, jumping on top, and multiple strikes.”

Tempe Police Chief Kenneth McCoy said the video shows the arrest was justified and that “all of the actions and, you know, the officers who were involved are part of that investigation.” The city’s police union has defended the officers, stating they acted appropriately under difficult circumstances.

Bonner has pleaded not guilty, and a pre‑trial conference is scheduled for November 4 in Tempe City Court. The outcome of the internal review and any possible external investigation remain pending.