Critical Phoenix Incident Briefing Video: June 23 Presidential Visit

Press release from the City of Phoenix:

June 25, 2020

The Phoenix Police Department has released a Critical Incident Briefing video with information and body worn camera from an incident that happened outside a church hosting a campaign visit from President Donald Trump.

The event happened the afternoon of June 23, 2020 at Cave Creek Road and Sharon in North Phoenix. The Phoenix Police Department's role in the visit was to ensure the safety of the community. Under the direction of the Secret Service, the department facilitated traffic flow and road closures, including closing designated roads for the Presidential motorcade to come in an out of the venue.

Officers also closed lanes of traffic to provide a safe space for demonstrators to exercise their free speech rights, while still allowing local vehicle traffic to get through the area. This safe pedestrian zone was clearly marked with fencing as well as verbal direction to the crowd from the Community Response Squad (CRS). There was an additional area closed to both pedestrian and vehicle traffic.At approximately 4:25, demonstrators moved outside the area designated for pedestrian and into both the space for vehicle traffic and the secret service protected area.

At 4.26, officers formed a line to escort the crowd out of the roadway and away from the presidential motorcade route. At this same time, officers from CRS gave verbal direction to the crowd to move out of traffic and away from the protected motorcade area.

Shortly after this, the Lieutenant on scene made an announcement over a loudspeaker ordering the crowd to move back, however the crowd remained in the roadway. Officers began slowly walking to move the crowd, one man used two hands to push an officer walking with a shield. The officer attempted to reach over his shield to pull the man behind the line so he could be arrested, however the man was able to pull free from the officer. During the struggle, another man swung his arm at the officer in an attempt to strike him and a third subject threw a water bottle at the line of officers. These acts constitute aggravated assaults against a police officer. Due to the criminal activity, officers deployed aerial flash bangs to encourage the crowd to move back. Another officer deployed three pepper ball rounds into the ground, and one officer deployed pepper spray twice towards the crowd. An unlawful assembly was declared and announced over loudspeaker. At this point the crowd moved back and the intersection was secured for the Presidential Motorcade.

The aggravated assault suspects were not arrested at the scene. If you have information on their identity please call the Phoenix Police Department or Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS or 480-TESTIGO for Spanish.

If you have concerns, commendations or complaints regarding the Phoenix Police Department or its officers, there are multiple ways you can share that information. You can find a complete list of resources on the Department's Commendations and Complaints webpage.

This press release was produced by the City of Phoenix. The views expressed here are the author’s own.