Police video shows when fireworks exploded near officers during a protest in Glendale, Arizona. A teen is now indicted as an adult on 22 counts for attacking officers with fireworks.Screenshot of Glendale Police Department video
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced Thursday that a 17-year-old male has been charged as an adult for throwing an explosive at Glendale, Arizona, officers during a protest last month.
He was indicted on 22 counts of aggravated assault, a class two felony dangerous; one count for each officer who was hurt.
Mitchell’s statement said hundreds of people were protesting at 67th Avenue and Camelback Road when Glendale police officers declared an unlawful assembly due to increasingly aggressive behavior.
According to the district attorney, as officers tried to disperse the crowd, the teen lit fireworks and threw the explosive into a group of officers. The explosion caused injuries ranging from burns to hearing damage.
“When an officer is assaulted, it’s not just an attack on them, it’s an attack on the safety of our communities,” said Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell. “I will not tolerate anyone treating law enforcement as targets or endangering their lives.”
Police released a video on March 11 showing fireworks landing in the street, flaming, and then exploding into a large burst. The video was released when Lopez was arrested, but his name was not revealed until the indictment.
“This violent act of recklessness not only injured some of our officers but sparked outrage within our community. Be warned, this explosive behavior will not be tolerated in Glendale,” the department said in a social media post.
A judge ordered the teen held on a $100,000 secured bond.
