Tempe Police Review Continues After Mill Avenue Arrest; Felony Charges Declined
Tempe Police are still reviewing a July 19 Mill Avenue arrest after edited footage was released and Maricopa County declined felony prosecution.
Tempe Police are still conducting an administrative review of a July 19 arrest outside CASA on Mill Avenue, where cellphone video showed an officer pushing a woman to the ground and appearing to strike her. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has declined to pursue felony charges against the woman, but the department’s review remains open.
The incident occurred at approximately 1:45 a.m. as Tempe bike officers responded to a fight involving two men. The woman, who was 21 at the time, was arrested after officers said she interfered with the detention.
What happened outside CASA
According to court documents cited by ABC15 Arizona and Arizona’s Family, three Tempe bike officers were attempting to detain two men involved in an active physical altercation when the woman moved between officers and the men. The documents say she tried to pull one of the men away and was repeatedly told to step back.
The court documents say an officer pushed her away twice after she moved toward the officers again. They allege that she then approached the officer with clenched fists, struggled during the attempted detention and struck him five to six times. The documents also describe visible cuts to the officer’s forearms and wrist and pain under his eye.
She was arrested on allegations including interference with a police investigation, aggravated assault on a first responder and resisting arrest. Those allegations were not resolved through felony prosecution.
What the different videos show
A short cellphone video circulated online shows an officer pushing the woman, taking her to the ground and appearing to strike her while she was down. The clip begins after the officers were already dealing with the fight.
Tempe Police later released four edited clips from body-worn cameras and business surveillance footage. The department said the cellphone video captured only part of a rapidly developing encounter.
Business-surveillance footage shows a fight involving two men and the woman moving between an officer and one of the men. Body-camera footage shows officers giving repeated commands for her to step back. The released body-camera views also appear to show the officer striking her during the struggle.
The footage released by the department is not described as a complete or unedited record. Arizona’s Family reported that the body-camera footage does not clearly show the woman striking the officer, while surveillance video appears to show contact during the struggle. Tempe Police said the administrative review also includes additional body-camera footage, witness statements and other available evidence.
Why felony charges were declined
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office declined to pursue felony charges after determining there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction. That decision means felony prosecution was declined; it does not determine whether Tempe Police policy was followed or resolve every possible legal issue.
Tempe could still pursue possible municipal misdemeanor charges through Tempe Municipal Court, according to Arizona’s Family. The current status of any such charges remains unresolved.
What Tempe Police is reviewing
Tempe Police said its administrative investigation will examine whether the officer’s actions were consistent with department policy and training, as well as the conduct of everyone involved and the totality of the circumstances.
The city has not announced a final administrative finding or disciplinary action as of July 28, 2026. The criminal charging decision and the police administrative process are separate proceedings with different standards and possible outcomes.
Tempe has a Citizens’ Panel for Review of Police Complaints and Use of Force. The city’s webpage says the panel’s composition and duties are outlined in the Tempe City Code and that Tempe Police Department staff administers it. The city has not confirmed that this specific incident was referred to the panel.
Public reaction and what comes next
Tempe councilmembers Brooke St. George and Bobby Nichols called the video “extremely troubling” and said the force appeared disproportionate. The Tempe Officers Association disputed that assessment, pointing to the additional footage, repeated commands and the allegation that the officer was struck. Neither statement is an official finding in the ongoing administrative review.
Residents following the case should watch for a final police review, any municipal-court action and any additional release of records or video. Until the administrative investigation is complete, the available footage and allegations do not by themselves establish whether the officer’s actions complied with department policy.
Sources
- ABC15 Arizona report on the Mill Avenue arrest and charging decision
- Arizona’s Family report on the released footage and continuing review
- City of Tempe Citizens’ Panel information
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