Tempe police charge suspect Eryn Bonner following Mill Avenue incident

By Madeline Bates
Mail

Following an August incident that involved Tempe Police and Arizona State University senior Eryn Bonner, the city of Tempe has filed two misdemeanor charges — disorderly conduct and interfering with police.

In July, Bonner was with two male friends when one of them approached another patron on the corner of Mill Avenue. Video evidence from surrounding businesses and police body cameras shows that police apprehended Bonner’s friend and put him in handcuffs. Bonner was pushed to the ground and also handcuffed. Body camera footage also shows an officer punching her in the face.

“We are extremely disappointed by the city’s decision to move forward with criminal charges against Ms. Bonner. The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office previously reviewed the evidence and declined to pursue felony charges, finding no reasonable likelihood of conviction,” Bonner’s attorney Ben Taylor said on behalf of the case.

The city confirmed two misdemeanor charges have been filed but did not say why they were pursuing charges months after the event.

Taylor said in a phone call that Bonner is on track to graduate, but has been severely traumatized by the event.

“Nothing like this has ever happened to her. She’s traumatized and scarred from that night,” he said.

A pretrial conference will be held on Nov. 4 at the Tempe Municipal Court building.

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Madeline Bates
Reporter | Tempe/East Phoenix

mbates@iniusa.org

Meet Madeline

Madeline Bates joined Independent Newsmedia in 2025 as a Phoenix/Tempe reporter. Before graduating college, she spent a semester in Washington as a Congressional reporter in the first 100 days of the second Trump administration. But local news is where her heart is. She is excited to be in Phoenix full time and exploring new parts of the city (as long as they have AC).  

Community: After living in East Phoenix for two years, she fell in love with Paradise Valley, Mesa, Tempe, and everywhere in between. She recently discovered the beauty of the South Mountain Reserve and hopes to continue exploring should the weather comply.

Education: Madeline has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and a certificate in Political History and Leadership.

Random Fact: She is a self-taught nail tech. No, she cannot do your nails.

Hobbies: Hiking (when its not 100 degrees), fiction writing, cooking, baking and trying new coffee shops.