Looters cause damage to businesses in Old Town Scottsdale

PHOENIX — Looters caused damage to businesses in Old Town Scottsdale on Saturday night.

Some of the looting damage at Fashion Square Mall. ⁦@ScottsdalePD⁩ in SWAT gear trying to get looters to leave. Updates ⁦@KTAR923⁩ pic.twitter.com/9HCRLDV7Nq

— Peter Samore (@ktarpetersamore) May 31, 2020

The incident took place around 10 p.m. on Scottsdale and Camelback roads near Fashion Square Mall, which closed at 5 p.m.

Multiple stores were damaged, including Neiman Marcus, Urban Outfitters and the Apple Store.

Looters, not protesters, all teens and young adults, breaking into businesses and stealing from Scottsdale fashion Square. Shattered glass, stolen clothes cover the ground. Live at 11 PM ⁦@KTAR923⁩ pic.twitter.com/AtDLS4CPme

— Peter Samore (@ktarpetersamore) May 31, 2020

Here is the moment the crowd broke the door to the Apple Store at Scottsdale Fashion Square in Scottsdale and ran inside. pic.twitter.com/3IaZZ4b6NX

— Josh Frigerio, ABC15 Arizona (@JoshFrigerio) May 31, 2020

Just prior to 11 p.m., Scottsdale police declared the gathering to be an unlawful assembly, meaning anyone that does not disperse is subject to arrest.

Two hours after looting began, ⁦@ScottsdalePD⁩ takes over intersection of Camelback and Scottsdale to force looters away. Lots of broken glass. Live team coverage ⁦@KTAR923⁩ pic.twitter.com/jjXSUqC1dg

— Peter Samore (@ktarpetersamore) May 31, 2020

“A lot of these people are carrying rocks and they are breaking into the stores,” Andy Dominguez, a security guard, told KTAR News 92.3 FM. “They are taking whatever they can and it’s really a shame.”

“People are here, they can afford their own clothes, they don’t have to steal these people’s clothes. They are just trying to find an excuse to do something wrong.”

Saturday marked the third consecutive night in which protests took place in the Valley in response to Monday’s death of Minnesotan George Floyd.

That same day, Arizonan Dion Johnson was also killed at the hands of law enforcement.

Dominguez said he saw some people peacefully protesting in Scottsdale, while others are trying to send a message.

“The people that are trying to send a message, they have the wrong idea,” Dominguez said.

Speaker Pro Tempore of the Arizona House of Representatives T.J. Shope took to Twitter on Saturday night and condemned the violence in Scottsdale saying it was not a protest.

What is going on in Scottsdale right now is not a peaceful protest. It was advertised as a looting spree most of the day through social media. This unlawful activity needs to be brought to an end immediately.

— T.J. Shope (@TJShopeforAZ) May 31, 2020

No other information was made immediately available.

KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Peter Samore and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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