Phoenix Man Suffers Severe Burns During Police Detainment in Extreme Heat

 

On July 6, 2024, as temperatures soared to 114°F in Phoenix, Arizona, 30-year-old Michael Kenyon suffered severe third-degree burns after being detained by Phoenix police. Kenyon was stopped by two officers while walking to a nearby store, with police stating they were investigating a theft in the area. Surveillance footage viewed shows Kenyon on the ground, surrounded by officers, who held him down on the scorching pavement. The ordeal left him with severe burns, requiring extensive hospitalization.

Kenyon described the intense pain he experienced, likening it to "acid burning" his skin. "I thought of George Floyd," he said, recalling how he screamed for help, but no assistance came. Phoenix police confirmed that Kenyon was not ultimately connected to the suspected theft, and he has not been charged with any crime.

Kenyon’s civil rights attorney, Steve Benedetto, argued that the incident reflects systemic issues within the Phoenix Police Department, especially as the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has recently raised concerns about excessive force and discrimination within the department. This case, along with other similar incidents, has intensified scrutiny of Phoenix’s police practices.

The excessive heat on that day had raised the asphalt temperature by up to 60°F above the air temperature, making contact with it dangerous within seconds, according to medical experts. Kenyon’s injuries, which include deep burns across his arms, legs, chest, and face, are expected to take months to heal, and he has been unable to return to work.

Witnesses to the incident have expressed shock and dismay, with one friend captured on video pleading with police to help Kenyon. The Phoenix Police Department stated that an investigation into the matter is ongoing.

Kenyon expressed his hope for lasting reform. “I’m speaking out because I don’t want this to happen to other people,” he said. "This needs to change.”