Phoenix Police Release Video Of 13-Year-Old Girl's Arrest

PHOENIX, AZ — Phoenix police on Tuesday released video of a 13-year-old girl being arrested, after a cell phone video of the arrest began circulating online that police said left out important context.

The girl, who was not identified as is typical with minors, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault on an officer and booked into the Juvenile Correction Center, according to a news release from Phoenix police.

The girl is accused of continually getting in the way of officers who were attempting to make arrests Monday afternoon in the parking lot of an apartment complex near 59th Avenue and McDowell Road.

As the girl walked up to two officers who police say had a man in custody, another officer grabbed the girl's arm to hold her back. The girl can then be seen in the video moving an arm toward the officer. Police said the girl hit the officer in the face. The officer responded by swinging back at the girl, hitting her in the face, according to police.

In the video, someone repeatedly yells “she’s a minor” at the officers as they take the 13-year-old to the ground and handcuff her.

The 13-year-old was one of a loosely gathered group of people in the parking lot who audibly protest police treatment of a man being arrested. The man, 25-year-old Javon Johnson, was arrested on suspicion of stealing a car. Police also accused him of hitting an officer and attempting to grab an officer's gun, according to a news release from police.

In the video, several officers surround Johnson, who is in the prone position with at least one knee on his back and another officer holding down his head.

It’s difficult to make out exactly what’s happening in portions of the video because all faces are blurred with large ovals that sometimes obscure parts of the action.