Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced March 20 that Joseph Lopez*, age 17, has been charged as an adult for throwing an explosive at Glendale Police officers during a protest on Feb. 2.

Hundreds of people were protesting at 67th Avenue and Camelback Road when police declared an unlawful assembly due to increasingly aggressive behavior.

As police tried to disperse the crowd, Lopez lit a firework and threw it into a group of officers. The explosion caused injuries ranging from burns to hearing damage.

Lopez was indicted on 22 counts of aggravated assault, a class two felony dangerous; one count for each officer who was hurt.

“When an officer is assaulted, it’s not just an attack on them, it’s an attack on the safety of our communities,” stated Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “I will not tolerate anyone treating law enforcement as targets or endangering their lives.”

A judge ordered Lopez be held on a $100,000 secured bond, meaning that for the defendant to be released they must pay the court an amount equal to 10% of the full bond.

* A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.