3 Phoenix Officers Disciplined For Violent Arrest Of Deaf Man With Cerebral Palsy

The three officers who faced backlash last year for violently arresting a deaf Black man with cerebral palsy have been disciplined.

The Phoenix police officers who went viral last year for a video showing them violently arresting a disabled Black man have been disciplined for their actions.

On March 25, the Phoenix Police Department announced that the three officers were given “24-hour unpaid suspensions,” estimated to be three days. Two of the officers were also required to attend “additional de-escalation training,” CBS News reports. The disciplinary actions come after police bodycam footage, released in August 2024, showed the three officers repeatedly punching and tasing Tyron McAlpin—who is Black—despite responding to a call about a white man loitering at a convenience store.

The viral video sparked outrage as two officers were seen jumping out of their patrol vehicle and immediately punching McAlpin, a deaf man with cerebral palsy, at least 10 times. In the footage, one officer claimed McAlpin bit him, while the other alleged McAlpin swung at him.

The 911 caller reported being assaulted and having his phone stolen and identified McAlpin as the suspect. However, McAlpin was never charged in connection with the caller’s allegations. Instead, he was arrested on felony charges of assaulting the officers and resisting arrest. Notably, the initial disturbance inside the store had been attributed to a white man.

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The disciplined officers weren’t named in the police department’s announcement. However, the two officers seen in the video assaulting McAlpin were previously identified as Benjamin Harris and Kyle Sue.

“We understand the concerns raised by this incident, and we take them seriously,” interim Phoenix Police Chief Michael Sullivan said in a statement. “The decision to suspend the officers reflects our commitment to accountability and maintaining public trust. At the same time, we stand by the men and women of this department who are placed in difficult situations every day.”

The officers’ suspensions and required de-escalation training come after a June 2024 Justice Department report found that Phoenix police engaged in a “pattern or practice” of discrimination and excessive—sometimes unjustified—deadly force, particularly against individuals with behavioral health disabilities.

McAlpin filed a lawsuit last November, and in March, his lawyers also accused Officer Jorge Acosta of misconduct. According to the federal lawsuit, Acosta attempted to justify the officers’ actions by falsely stating in a report that the white man told police that McAlpin assaulted him and stole his phone.