3 Phoenix officers disciplined for violent arrest of Black man with disabilities caught on video
Three Arizona officers who were involved last year in the violent arrest of Black man who is deaf and suffers from cerebral palsy have been disciplined, the Phoenix Police Department announced Tuesday.
In August 2024, police bodycam video showed Tyron McAlpin being repeatedly tased and punched by Phoenix police after they responded to a call about a White man loitering at a convenience store.
The video, which prompted widespread condemnation, captured two officers jumping out of their patrol vehicle and immediately punching McAlpin at least 10 times. In the video, one of the officers alleges that McAplin bit him and the other claims McAplin swung at him.
The man who had placed the 911 call told officers he had been assaulted, that his cell phone had been stolen, and pointed out McAlpin as the culprit.
However, McAlpin was never charged over the man's claim. Instead, he was arrested on felony allegations of assaulting the officers and resisting arrest.
Those charges were dropped by Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell last October. No criminal charges were brought against the officers.
The police department said in a statement Tuesday that three officers were given "24-hour unpaid suspensions," and two of the officers were also required to attend "additional de-escalation training."
Those three officers were not named Tuesday. However, the two officers seen in the video assaulting McAlpin were previously identified as Benjamin Harris and Kyle Sue.
In a statement, interim Phoenix Police Chief Michael Sullivan said, "We understand the concerns raised by this incident, and we take them seriously. The decision to suspend the officers reflects our commitment to accountability and maintaining public trust. At the same time, we stand by the men and women of this department who are placed in difficult situations every day."
A June 2024 report from the Justice Department determined that Phoenix police engaged in a "pattern or practice" of discrimination and excessive and sometimes unjustified deadly force, including against those with behavioral health disabilities.
