YouTuber Jake Paul Charged With 2 Misdemeanors In Mall Looting

SCOTTSDALE — Jake Paul, a YouTube personality with millions of followers, faces two misdemeanor charges after video surfaced that appeared to show him receiving stolen goods after looting broke out during a Saturday protest of the police-custody death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Paul, who was charged with criminal trespassing and unlawful assembly, said on social media that he chose to "document" the looting by posting photos and videos on his social media. Scottsdale police told news station KNXV that investigators did not arrest the YouTube personality, but issued a summons for him to appear in court in a month.

A spokesperson for the police department told the television station that others protesting with Paul do not face charges "at this time."

Paul said in a statement that neither he nor anyone with him was involved in criminal acts.

"To be absolutely clear, neither I nor anyone in our group was engaged in any looting or vandalism," he wrote on Twitter. "For context, we spent the day doing our part to peacefully protest one of the most horrific injustices our country has ever seen, which led to us being tear-gassed for filming the events and brutality that were unfolding in Arizona."

However, some social media critics posted video of Paul being handed a bottle of vodka that had been taken from one of the mall restaurants.

Paul said he doesn't condone the looting and violence that have broken out in some protests, including the one at the mall.

"However," he wrote, "I do understand the anger and frustration that led to the destruction we witnessed and while it's not the answer, it's important that people see it and collectively figure out how to move forward in a healthy way."

The 23-year-old Paul has 20.1 million YouTube subscribers.