Arizona State cheerleader told police “let him go” before being thrown to the ground—and now she’s facing charges
A viral takedown is now at the center of a legal fight.
An Arizona State University (ASU) cheerleader who was thrown to the ground by police during a July arrest is now facing misdemeanor charges after newly released footage of the confrontation circulated online. Eryn Bonner, a 21-year-old ASU senior and member of the university’s Stunt Team, was charged with disorderly conduct and hindering or interfering with police in connection with the incident.
According to Fox News, the incident happened around 1:45 a.m. on July 19 on Mill Avenue in Tempe, Arizona, when police officers on bicycles intervened in a confrontation involving two men. Video shows Bonner approaching the officers and yelling, “Let him go!” as they attempted to make the arrests.
Police said Bonner repeatedly ignored commands to step back and interfered with the arrest. According to the police report, she later struck an officer several times in the face, while her attorney has argued that officers escalated the encounter and used excessive force.
The video shows a chaotic confrontation
The footage shows an officer pushing Bonner to the ground before she is restrained near a police bicycle. Police later released body-camera and surveillance footage of the encounter, saying it provided additional context around what happened before the takedown.
Body-camera footage has also become a key piece of evidence in other disputed arrests. According to police, Bonner continued resisting after being pushed and eventually hit an officer five or six times. The officer then struck Bonner in the face.
Bonner’s attorney, Benjamin Taylor, has disputed the police account and alleged that officers escalated the situation instead of attempting to de-escalate it. He has also alleged that an officer inappropriately touched Bonner during the struggle, an allegation that the Tempe Officers Association has disputed.
The case took a different turn
Police initially recommended felony charges including aggravated assault and resisting arrest. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office declined to pursue those charges, and the case was instead sent to Tempe City Court, where Bonner faces two misdemeanor counts. Other viral police confrontations have similarly led to criminal charges even as questions over the officers’ conduct continued.
The city submitted charges for disorderly conduct and interfering with police. An earlier misdemeanor charge was dismissed so the city could refile the case with additional charges after reviewing the available evidence.
Bonner’s attorney has criticized the decision to pursue the misdemeanor case, while the Tempe Officers Association has defended the officers’ actions and said the full video shows Bonner repeatedly ignoring commands to step back. The department’s internal review of the incident remains ongoing.
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