ARIZONA NEWS

MCAO to drop charges in case against Tyron McAlpin

Oct 17, 2024, 5:42 PM

PHOENIX — Charges against Tyron McAlpin, the deaf Black man with cerebral palsy who was arrested with force by Phoenix Police officers two months ago, will be dropped, authorities said Thursday.

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said she reviewed footage, first brought to light by ABC15 reporting, of the Aug. 19 incident and made the decision to drop all charges.

McAlpin faced charges of resisting arrest and aggravated assault. He previously pleaded not guilty.

“I have now completed my review and have made the decision to dismiss all remaining charges against Mr. McAlpin,” Mitchell said in a press release.

What happened in case involving Tyron McAlpin?

Officers were acting on what turned out to be false information from a white man when they used a Taser on McAlpin, 34, and punched him multiple times in the head.

Body-worn camera and surveillance video footage appears to show an officer initiating the altercation as soon as he exited his patrol truck in a parking lot on Indian School Road near 12th Street.

One of the arresting officers said in court that the situation could have been avoided if McAlpin indicated he was deaf, according to ABC15.

Jesse Showalter, an attorney representing McAlpin, said the first officer to make contact with McAlpin wasn’t able to figure out he was deaf because the officer took no steps to deescalate the situation and instead immediately starting using force.

Phoenix police said in statement Tuesday, “There was nothing that the officers were told or witnessed to indicate Mr. McAlpin was hearing impaired.”

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said Wednesday, prior to the charges being dropped, that she had “deep concern” regarding the interaction and wanted a thorough investigation into it.

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MCAO to drop charges in case against Tyron McAlpin