Karma for shrieking woman, 21, in skimpy dress after she was filmed attacking police officers who tried to break up fight

By WILL POTTER, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER Published: 18:54, 5 August 2026 | Updated: 18:56, 5 August 2026 An Arizona woman who was filmed being punched in the face by a police officer after she allegedly tried to intervene on an arrest has been slapped with misdemeanor charges over the wild on-camera brawl.  Eryn Bonner, 21, went viral as she was seen in a late-night melee with cops on July 19 in Tempe, Arizona, flying into a frenzy in a skimpy white outfit as she screamed at officers arresting her friends.  Video of the confrontation showed two police officers arresting one of Bonner's friends after he allegedly attacked another man standing on the sidewalk outside the CASA nightclub.  Another of her friends tried to pull them apart, leading officers to hurl both men to the ground and try to place them in handcuffs.  Bonner, a cheerleader at Arizona State University, then grabbed at one of the cops and tried to pull him off the second man, and the footage showed the officers ordering her to 'get back' - which she ignored.  One of the officers then turned to Bonner and pushed her to the ground, before throwing her over a bike and striking her in the face.  Witnesses could be heard pleading with the officers to stop during the struggle, as Bonner's friends were also handcuffed and arrested on the ground.   Bonner was initially charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault on a first responder and resisting arrest, but those charges were dropped when the Maricopa County Attorney's Office declined to prosecute.  After Tempe Police said they would not re-submit the felony charges, the Tempe City Court submitted misdemeanor charges of assault, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and obstruction.  Eryn Bonner, 21, who was filmed being punched in the face by a police officer after she allegedly tried to intervene on an arrest, has been slapped with misdemeanor charges over the wild on-camera brawl  Bonner, a cheerleader at Arizona State Universiry, was tackled to the ground during the confrontation as she struggled with the officers A police officer punched Bonner in the face during the struggle, but officers claimed in court records that the 21-year-old struck one of the cops around five times before she was hit back  The footage of an officer punching Bonner in the face during the incident sparked backlash on social media, as her family accused the officers of excessive force.  However, officers alleged in court documents that Bonner was the first to strike one of the cops, accusing her of hitting an officer around five times before she was hit back.   In a statement, her family said: 'There are no words to fully describe the heartbreak of watching our daughter being hurt by someone entrusted to protect and serve our community.  'The hardest thing is seeing the pain and sadness in her eyes that we cannot take away.  'Expecting public servants to live up to the highest standards of their profession is not an act of animosity toward those who serve with honor.  'Rather, it is essential to preserving public trust and upholding the integrity and legitimacy of our institutions. We respectfully ask for your prayers and support as our daughter and our family continue to heal.' With Bonner now facing misdemeanor charges, a spokeswoman for the county attorney's office told the Arizona Republic that the case would be handled by the city prosecutor.  The spokeswoman added that the felony charges would 'not been resubmitted, and as of now, we do not expect it to be; however, as with any case, we will review it again if there is any new evidence.'  The ASU cheerleader was seen berating police officers outside a nightclub in Tempe, Arizona on July 19, leading one of the officers to order her to 'get back' and shove her to the ground Footage from the scene showed Bonner intervening as her friends were arrested for fighting outside a nightclub  Separate surveillance footage showed Bonner angrily confronting police outside the nightclub, as a group of men brawled and threw wild punches at others  Bonner grabbed at officers in the footage, with the video going viral across social media as the cheerleader's family claimed she was the victim of excessive force  The officers were faced with chaotic scenes outside the nightclub  Bonner was initially facing felony charges, but the charges were downgraded to misdemeanors as prosecutors dropped their case against her  Bonner's attorney said that they were 'pleased' that the county attorney's office 'made the right decision' to drop the felony charges, saying that it was because 'there was no reasonable likelihood of conviction.'  The men that Bonner was accused of trying to help were identified formally as Isaiah Johnson, 21, and Jonathan Nwariaku, 21.  Following the incident, Nwariaku is facing charges of assault and disorderly conduct, and Johnson is charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.  The spokesperson for the county attorney's office said they met with Tempe police following the brawl to explain why they would not be prosecuting. They said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell met personally with the officers who were involved, which was to 'show her support and reinforce that her decision to turn down felony charges is not an indictment of the officer's actions.'  Tempe Police told the Arizona Republic that the meeting was requested by Mitchell, to 'gain firsthand understanding of the challenges they face, and demonstrate her support for their efforts to keep our community safe.'  In a statement released by the Tempe Officers Association, union president Rob Ferraro defended the officer's actions, saying body-worn cameras allegedly proved that they were justified in striking Bonner.  Farraro claimed that a short snippet of the confrontation was shared to social media out of context, and 'too often, police officers are judged by a few seconds of cellphone video that begins after critical events have already occurred.'  'That is exactly what happened here,' Farraro added.  Bodycam footage showed an officer shoving Bonner backwards when she initially tried to intervene in the arrests  Bonner was initially on the outside of the arrests, but she was taken to the ground and handcuffed after she threw herself at the officers, in the bodycam footage Bonner's family said they were 'heartbroken' by the incident, as they claimed she was 'being hurt by someone entrusted to protect and serve our community' The Tempe Police Department added in a statement: 'We recognize the concerns raised by video of this incident and understand why members of our community have questions. Any use of force by a police officer is taken seriously and warrants careful review. 'Based on the information available at this stage, the video circulating online captures only part of a rapidly evolving encounter. While the footage raises understandable concerns, it does not provide the full context of the events leading up to the use of force. 'To help provide additional context, we are releasing four video clips that show different portions and perspectives of the incident. While these videos offer a broader view of the encounter than the short clip circulating online, they are only one part of our ongoing review, which also includes body-worn camera footage, witness statements, and all other available evidence. 'We have initiated a thorough administrative investigation to determine whether the officer's actions were consistent with Tempe Police Department policy, training, and our core values of Professionalism, Excellence, and Compassion. That review will include the actions of everyone involved in the incident and the totality of the circumstances our officers faced. 'We are committed to conducting a fair, objective, and transparent review. If our investigation determines that department policy was violated, we will take appropriate action. We ask for patience as we complete a comprehensive review rather than relying on a single video clip or initial impressions. 'We will provide additional information as we are able while protecting the integrity of the investigation.' Bonner is set for a preliminary court hearing on August 6.